Geospatial analysis of lightning-related deaths in a single day induced by extreme weather: are these fatalities avoidable?

Previous studies on the climatic characteristics of lightning activity in Bihar are limited due to the lack of long-term, continuous, and reliable lightning location data. The objective of this study is to analyze lightning fatality events that occurred on June 25, 2020, in Bihar, eastern India. This study scrutinizes an unprecedented event that culminated in 83 casualties. This episode is unique due to its association with elevated convective activity and above-average relative humidity in the troposphere over the affected area. We employed one-day ground-based cloud-to-ground lightning data from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), meteorological parameters from MERRA-2 and ERA5, Radiosonde temperature and humidity profiles, and spatial analysis using GIS and kernel density estimation. District-wise lightning strikes and fatalities were analyzed alongside meteorological conditions to identify high-risk zones. The number of lightning fatalities on that day was obtained from a report published in Times of India. Furthermore, we analyzed the diurnal distribution of lightning strikes, district-wise spatial distribution of lightning deaths, the number of deaths, location of lightning flashes, and potential meteorological causes for extreme events. Our findings reinforce the critical role of public awareness initiatives, the implementation of preventive guidelines for those engaged in outdoor occupations, and the development of timely and precise monitoring and alert systems, especially during periods of elevated lightning activity. Furthermore, the study elucidates the temporal and spatial patterns of lightning occurrences, highlighting the potential for targeted interventions that could mitigate the risks of single-day lightning-induced fatalities. As the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events are on an upward trajectory, our study furnishes indispensable insights that can inform policies aimed at minimizing lightning-related mortality rates, thereby adding a new dimension to climate adaptation and disaster management strategies.