Forecast of lightning before half an hour

As soon as the lightning struck four people in Thai Binh province in early July, lightning experts at the Institute of Geophysics (Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) affirmed, absolutely can be avoided. human damage caused by lightning with minimal measures.

Lack of information and subjectivity

Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh - Head of Atmospheric Physics (Institute of Geophysics, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology) - said: This year's winter season is not unusual, but the number of people struck by lightning increases over the same period. many years.

There are three reasons. Firstly, due to the fierce sunshine in the beginning of the season, lightning storms were also stronger and stronger. Secondly, people lack information. While cases of death due to lightning strikes occur mainly in rural areas, when relatives are working in the fields or traveling on dykes, going in a deserted place, the propaganda method of lightning protection in district towns is only sheets. fall, lack of updates.

Third, people are still subjective, do not grasp the basic knowledge, the simplest about lightning protection. It is known that many people still stay under the tree when there is rain and thunder although this has been put into long-standing lightning protection rules.'For every 100 people residing under a tree when thunderstorms, 30 people are struck by lightning' - said Dr Anh.

Before the question: 'Why do you confirm that this year's lightning activity is not unusual' ?, Dr. Anh said: 'Lightning in Vietnam is very strong. Every year there are between 80 and 100 days. The operating frequency of lightning every year is very different. Maybe this year is less, the year before that is much higher than the annual average which is quite normal in any locality across the country. Scientists say the more active solar years will be more thunderstorms. '

Absolutely preventable

When absolute lightning does not reside under a tree, in a deserted place with no shelter, it is best to choose a flat, dry or least muddy place to stand. Should not go into a crowd, so spread out one person at a time.

For rural people, before going to the field, note the lightning forecasting information and notice that finding the nearest place in the field can run to the shelter when there is lightning.

There are many modern lightning protection facilities. However, with residential areas, lightning rod is still considered as a cheap and effective traditional method.

- Are there any lightning-locating devices of our country today?

- We have a lightning locator system of 8 stations scattered throughout the country. We are going to invest US $ 1 million to upgrade this system. Forward to digitalization to stream data from the scene to the center. Thanks to that, people can watch live on the internet where lightning is available, via the website www.thunderstorm.org.vn. This information is needed for the aviation industry, electricity, and residential areas that are currently lacking information about lightning.

- Is there any improvement in early warning and improvement of lightning warning for people, especially rural people, sir?

We are asking for a project of the Ministry of Science and Technology to complete the discharge system and early lightning warning in Vietnam. The project comes from the research of the Institute of Geophysics since 2002. We have built our own lightning warning devices early in Vietnam, which is no less effective than similar devices of the world.

These devices have been tested for two years (2001-2004) for good results. After obtaining the project, we will deploy replication in the Mekong Delta (resorts, beaches); Hanoi (Phu Thuy and Gia Lam).

Specifically, 1-2 lightning warning stations will be placed in the two localities mentioned above. These stations automatically assess the lightning activity parameters and depending on the lightning activity characteristics in each area, the terrain of each area that each station runs under a separate program.

Warning time is 30-60 minutes, within a radius of 10 - 50 km. The advanced countries in the world only forecast lightning before 30 minutes.

Vietnam Airlines is planning to order with the Geophysical Institute to install this equipment at the airport. We are also willing to cooperate with any locality in need.

- Thank you Sir.

The lightning strikes were deadly in the first few days of the 2006 rainy season:

About 12 o'clock on March 26, thunderstorms accompanied by lightning struck two siblings who were pruning rice on the field, in the area of ​​A Dinh 2 village (P'Rao town, Dong Giang, Quang Nam).

Around 18:00 on June 9, lightning struck five people in four communes of An Thi district (Hung Yen).Victims are three children, two women go to graze and harvest rice.

Also around this same day, lightning struck two grandchildren who were harvesting rice in the Chuom field (Yen Ngo, An Binh, Thuan Thanh, Bac Ninh villages).

Before that, about 16 o'clock on the same day, lightning struck a Thuy Van tourist (Vung Tau City).

At 7:20 am on July 1, at the two communes of Hong Minh and Minh Hoa (Hung Ha, Thai Binh), lightning struck two people and injured five people who were working in the fields.At 7:45 am 2-7 am, rain and thunder struck two people and injured three people in Van village fields (Song Lang, Vu Thu, Thai Binh).