Baripada: The Odisha State Disaster Mitigation Authority (OSDMA) is going to install lightning warning systems at two places in Mayurbhanj district on a pilot basis.
District emergency office sources said lightning has claimed 152 lives in the district between 2015 and 2019. Studies have found that lightning strikes are more in the month of July.
To mitigate the loss of life, the district administration has decided to install the early warning system at Thakurmunda and Shulapada.
“After getting warnings, the people will ensure their safety,” said Sujay Kumar Pati, district emergency officer. Well ahead of the lightning, siren will be sounded at these centres, he added.
Pati also said that the people in the district have myths about lightning. They believe that electricity accumulates in the body of the deceased while the people seek the help of sorcerers to treat the lightning-hit, instead of taking them to hospitals.