'Lightning claimed 449 lives in 2018'

At least 449 people were killed in separate incidents of lightning strikes across the country last year.

The information was revealed during a round-table discussion organised by Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) on Sunday, reports UNB.

The rate of lightning strikes is increasing in Bangladesh due to the adverse effect of climate change and the multidimensional use of electric equipment in the context of economic development, the speakers said.

According to the research of IDEB, 274 people were killed in 2015, 387 were killed in 2016, 372 were killed in 2017 while 449 people lost their lives in 2018. Most of them belong to the marginal population.

Out of the deceased, 34 per cent were farmers, 26 per cent construction workers, 9 per cent pedestrians, 4 per cent temporary workers, 4 per cent in barges and 26 per cent were from other professions.

Speakers believe the rate of death can be brought down with prior warning of thunderstorms and public awareness campaigns.

AKM Hamid, president of IDEB moderated the discussion while senior journalists of national media spoke at the occasion.