Lightning hazards in India are emerging as one of the country’s most lethal yet under-recognised climate risks, demanding far greater scientific, policy, and community-level attention, experts warned at a recent national conference in New Delhi. Lightning kills more people each year than any other natural disaster in the nation. Yet, because it occurs as a scattered series of extreme weather events rather than a single catastrophic episode, it often avoids sustained public attention. Speaking at the 9th National Lightning Conference on December 22, 2025, at Prithvi Bhavan, scientists, policymakers, and disaster managers emphasized that, to save lives in a warming climate, India urgently needs to improve detection infrastructure, increase public awareness, and strengthen its understanding of atmospheric electricity.

The Climate Resilient Observing Systems Promotion Council (CROPC), in cooperation with the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), released the Annual Lightning Report 2024–25 at the conference. According to the paper, lightning strikes have increased significantly across India, despite a decrease in fatalities due to improved early warning systems and awareness efforts. However, experts warned that lightning hazards in India will remain a growing problem in the absence of greater investment in science, instrumentation, and decentralized mitigation.

Why are Lightning Strikes Increasing Across India?

Changes in atmospheric conditions driven by climate change are increasing lightning activity.

• A warmer atmosphere retains more moisture, intensifying thunderstorms and increasing the generation of electrical charge.
• Granular modeling reveals that clouds produce more atmospheric electricity.
• A startling 400% increase in lightning strikes occurred countrywide between 2019 and 2025, according to data.

The research also states that lightning geography is evolving. New hotspots are emerging in northern and western states of India, although cloud-to-ground lightning and casualties remain highest in eastern and central India. Increased lightning activity in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, and Delhi indicates a shift in vulnerability towards semi-arid and desert areas. This changing spatial pattern underscores that previous risk-zone assumptions are no longer sufficient to address lightning hazards in India.

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Which Regions and Communities are Most Vulnerable?

Socioeconomic and geographic factors influence vulnerability in addition to lightning frequency.

• Madhya Pradesh had the most lightning-related deaths (3,496) between 2014 and 2025, followed by Bihar (3,041) and Himachal Pradesh (2,923).
• 207 districts were classified as highly risky, 434 as moderately vulnerable, and 132 as reasonably low-risk based on the district-level study.
• Higher atmospheric electricity is drawn to rocky areas like the Western Ghats and limestone formations in Uttarakhand.

According to the IMD’s seasonal research, pre-monsoon months see increased activity in parts of peninsular India, while the southwest monsoon spreads lightning over larger areas. These patterns show how landforms, human exposure, and monsoon behavior interact with lightning hazards in India.

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How Can Atmospheric Electricity Improve Early Warnings?

Accurately predicting lightning requires an understanding of atmospheric electricity.

• Lightning is associated with heavy rainfall and cloudbursts because clouds’ ability to retain moisture increases as electrical charge accumulates within them.
• Lightning may strike the ground when atmospheric electric fields reach 100 V/m.
• Compared to traditional thunderstorm detection alone, measuring electric fields allows for earlier warnings.

Lightning intensity and likelihood are now evaluated by a new multi-model ensemble, according to IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra. However, MoES Secretary M Ravichandran emphasized that India lacks sufficient high-voltage laboratories and ground-based sensors to test detection equipment. Experts also noted that specialized tools, such as windmill-based atmospheric systems, are needed to detect atmospheric power surges, which can occasionally exceed 2.5 million amperes. To better manage lightning hazards in India, this scientific foundation must be strengthened.

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What Role Do Early Warnings and Community Action Play?

Although early warning systems are already saving lives, local action is still necessary, according to experts.

• Apps like Sachet, Mausam, and Damini are used to distribute IMD and NDMA warnings.
• Despite an increase in strike frequency, awareness campaigns like the National Lightning Resilient India Campaign have reduced fatalities.
• Local languages must be used to provide warnings together with concise, helpful instructions.

Lightning is a “dispersed disaster,” according to NDMA officials, that cannot be lessened by centralized measures alone. It was highly advised to implement village-level detection equipment, district-specific lightning mitigation programs, and Gram Panchayat-led awareness campaigns. Experts cautioned that the impact of technology advancements would be limited without community capacity-building. To effectively address lightning hazards in India, a grassroots approach is crucial.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Why does lightning cause more deaths in India than other natural disasters?

Lightning is common, disproportionately affects outdoor and rural labor, and frequently hits without causing apparent, significant damage, resulting in a high total number of fatalities.

Q2. Despite an increase in strikes, is lightning-related mortality declining?

Yes. Despite a dramatic rise in lightning strikes in recent years, improved early warnings and awareness have decreased fatalities.

Q3. What is the best strategy for lowering lightning-related deaths?

The best strategy combines local-language notifications, atmospheric electricity monitoring, precise early warnings, and community-level mitigation strategies.

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