Rebecca Kadaga

The speaker of parliament Rebecca Kadaga has asked government to come up with a statement explaining what is being done to contain the lightning that is going on and killing people across the country.

This was after a number of mps including Linda Timbigambe of kyenjojo district, Abdul Katuntu, wadri kasiano and Alice Alaso were concerned that government has done nothing to educate the people how they can avert lightning yet it continues to be problem in all parts of the country.

The MPs also proposed that since many schools have been struck by lightning, government should provide rubber shoes to students and electrical lights to all schools to prevent the schools from being hit by lightening.

Kadaga says she has also received calls from her constituency demanding her to explain the same matter.

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What causes lightning?

lightning

There are many myths sorrounding lightening in Uganda, with many people associating it with spirits and witchraft.

But scientists say Lightning is produced in thunderstorms when liquid and ice particles above the freezing level collide, and build up large electrical fields in the clouds. Once these electric fields become large enough, a giant “spark” occurs between them (or between them and the ground) like static electricity, reducing the charge separation. The lightning spark can occur between clouds, between the cloud and air, or between the cloud and ground.

As seen in the photo above, cloud-to-ground lightning usually occurs near the boundary between the updraft region (where the darkest) clouds are, and the downdraft/raining region (with the lighter, fuzzy appearance). Sometimes, however, the lightning bolt can come out of the side of the storm, and strike a location miles away, seemingly coming out of the clear blue sky.

As long as a thunderstorm continues to produce lightning, you know that the storm still has active updrafts and is still producing precipitation. The temperature inside a lightning bolt can reach 50,000 degrees F, hotter than the surface of the sun. Objects that are struck by lightning can catch on fire, but since the flash is so brief, objects can also show little or no evidence of burning at all. from weatherquestion.com

More on Lightening at Wikipedia

[tab:Prevention]

Avoiding being hit by lightning

The key question following the recent deaths of especially pupils and students from lightning has been how to avoid being hit by lightening, which is clearly a natural phenomenon.

• It would be good to start with those constructing to install lightening rods that attract the lightening electricity and push it in the ground.
• If you’re boating or swimming, get to land, get off the beach and find shelter immediately. Stay away from rivers, lakes and other bodies of water. Water is an excellent conductor of electricity and nearby lightning strikes often travel through it.
• Whenever possible, take shelter in substantial, permanent, enclosed structures, such as reinforced buildings. Avoid unprotected gazebos, rain or picnic shelters, baseball dugouts and bleachers; these structures are often isolated and located in otherwise open areas, making them a target for lightning. Also, they’re generally poorly anchored and can easily be uprooted and blown over by strong thunderstorm winds. Lastly, these structures offer little protection from large hail.
• If there are no reinforced buildings in sight, take shelter in a car, truck or other hard-topped vehicle. Keep the windows closed. Although rubber tires provide no protection from lightning, the steel frame of a hard-topped vehicle does increase protection if you are not touching metal. If lightning does strike your car, you may be injured but you are much safer inside a vehicle than outside.
• If you are in the woods, find an area protected by a low clump of trees. Never stand under a large tree in the open. Be aware of possible flooding in low-lying areas.
• As a last resort, if no shelter is available, go to a low-lying, open place away from trees, poles or other tall objects. Pick a place that is not subject to flooding. Have as little contact with the ground as possible; make yourself the smallest target possible. Squat low to the ground, and cover your head. Do not lie flat, as this makes you a larger target.
• Avoid tall structures, such as towers, tall trees, fences, telephone lines and power lines. Lightning strikes the tallest object in an area.
• If you are isolated in a level field and feel your hair stand on end (an indication lightning is about to strike), immediately make yourself the smallest target possible. Drop to your knees and bend forward, putting your hands on your knees. Or crouch on the balls of your feet. Do not lie flat on the ground.

Sourced from hitthetrail.com and consumerenergy.com

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Lightning Rods and metal conductors

To protect a building or installation against Lightening, a lightening rod or lightening conductor is normally constructed at or near the building or installation.

Lightning rods are specifically made of metal and taller than anything in the surrounding area. This allows them to be the target of any lightning which directs the electricity into the ground and out of danger’s way. They are normally put on top of a building and electrically connected to the ground through a wire, to protect the building in the event of lightning. If lightning strikes the building it will preferentially strike the rod, and be conducted harmlessly to ground through the wire, instead of passing through the building, where it could start a fire or cause electrocution.

There is a myth that lightning is attracted to metal; it is not. However, metal does conduct electricity better than other materials, so it is not a good idea to be holding onto something made of metal—especially if that item tends to be taller than you. As mentioned earlier, lightning IS attracted to the tallest object in the area. So if you are holding onto a tall metal object, that object can then become a lightning rod and conduct the electricity to YOU!

See more on lightening rods on Wikipedia

[tab:First Aid]

First aid: What To Do If Someone Is Struck By Lightning

• Call for help. Medical attention is needed as quickly as possible. Get someone to call 999 or your local Emergency Medical Service (EMS). on
• Give first aid. If breathing has stopped, begin rescue breathing. If the heart has stopped, a person trained in CPR should begin giving it. If the injured person has a pulse and is breathing, look and care for other possible injuries.
• Check for burns. The injured person has been shocked and may be burned in two places: where they were struck and where the electricity left their body. Being struck by lightning can also cause nervous system damage, broken bones and loss of hearing or eyesight.

Important: People struck by lightning carry no electrical charge and can be helped without fear of being shocked.

Sourced from hitthetrail.com and consumerenergy.com

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