The government now considers lightning a disaster due to its growing casualties, says a senior official of the Disaster Management and Relief Ministry.

“In August 2015, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, after a meeting with experts, asked the department concerned to consider lightning as a disaster,” Disaster Management and Relief Secretary Md Shah Kamal told a press conference at the Secretariat on Tuesday.

Speaking at the press conference, Disaster Management and Relief Minister Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury Maya disclosed that a total of 81 people, including women and children, were killed in thunderbolts in 26 districts of the country in only two days (May 12-13 this year).

“Such incidents of lightning are unprecedented in Bangladesh history. Global climate change, I think, contributes to the increase in incidents of thunderbolts,” he added.

Maya said the government has already distributed Tk 14.7 lakh among the families of 81 victims of lightning through district administrations, with a family receiving maximum Tk 25,000 and minimum Tk 10,000.

Besides, he said, Tk 10-20 lakh and 100-200 tonnes of food gain have been allocated for every deputy commissioner’s office to provide assistance to the families of lightning victims.

Shah Kamal said the ministry held a meeting with its senior officials on May 16, 2016, and the meeting decided to distribute leaflets across the country to make people aware of lighting.

He said the leaflets will be distributed from Friday through mosque, temple and church to create mass awareness about lightning so that people can save them from the growing disaster.  

The Disaster Management Secretary urged people to follow weather bulletins to save themselves from thunderbolts.

On May 12, 2016, four people were killed in boat capsize due to nor’wester in Kishoreganj and one person was killed in a storm in Dinajpur. The Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief has provided Tk 20,000 to families of every victim as assistance.unb