Uganda lightning tragedy

[T.M.Haja Sahib]

In recent lightning tragedy in Uganda, several school pupils were killed and many injured,when lightning struck the school building with metal roof and insulating column supports during a thunder storm.One argument is that the lightning flashed over from the metallic roof to the floor of the building,thereby killing/injuring the pupils in between.My argument is as follows. The subject lightning struck the school building while it was raining.Several streams of rain water running down from the roof and moisture soaked supporting columns of the roof might have effectively grounded the roof.So the lightning might have killed/injured the pupils by side flash/rise in ground potential gradient due to lightning current flow.

 

[bphgravity]

The problem occurring in Uganda is multifaceted.

1. Regional climate change has increased the number of storms that are likely to produce lightning.
2. Industrial growth has stripped forest regions and the tree canopy near villages and towns.
3. Construction materials & practices are not adequate for proper protection against lightning events.
4. There has been limited to no education of the public on the dangers of lightning & officials have been untrained & ill-equipped to address the issue both financially and politically.
5. Population growth & population density has increased in the last decade.

This event was a true tragedy and most unfortunate.