Sensitise population on lightning safety

Jun 29, 2011

THIS last month lightning has hit several parts of the country killing at least 40 people and injuring over a hundred. The worst tragedy happened on Tuesday when18 children in Kiryandongo were struck dead in their classroom and 36 others injured as they waited for the rain to subside.

THIS last month lightning has hit several parts of the country killing at least 40 people and injuring over a hundred. The worst tragedy happened on Tuesday when18 children in Kiryandongo were struck dead in their classroom and 36 others injured as they waited for the rain to subside.

Even though lightning is not new in our environment, the frequency of fatal incidents in the past week, have raised concern especially since many of the victims were school children hit while inside buildings.

Even though lightning can occur anywhere, experts say it is also one of the easiest natural occurrences to protect oneself against. Lightning tragedies can be prevented but many people are ignorant on how to protect themselves and their property. Even for the educated, lightning is shrouded in a lot of myths.

Apart from disinformation, at sh650,000 per house, the costs of proofing against lightning are way out of the reach for most Ugandans who start to live in their houses before they complete construction. As a result very few houses built in the recent years have lightning conductors.

Installing lightning rods to buildings used to be mandatory but enforcement was relaxed. Instead electricians emphasise earthing of houses. Earthed houses benefit from the connection to proofed electricity poles which are often at higher heights than the houses. In rural buildings without electricity, there is no protection.

The current scenario requires everybody’s efforts. Experts need to use the different available media platforms to educate and inform the general population on safety measures.

The National Weather Service in the United States sets apart a week every year during the most prone time to educate the population. Our meteorology department, disaster preparedness and information ministries should pick a leaf.

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