Observe flashes to forecast floods and heavy rain

Blistering can be a warning bell of impending floods, scientists assert.

According to the US Meteorological Administration, floods caused more deaths than lightning, storms and cyclones over the past 30 years. However, if we master the link between lightning and flood, we can avoid many unfortunate deaths.

Scientists at Tel Aviv University (Israel) and many other international experts conduct a study of the link between lightning and fast flooding for 3 years. The team found that the energy emitted by lightning bolts was proportional to the intensity of thunder, lightning and rain that occurred within the next few hours. Thus, through measuring radiation emitted by lightning, one can identify intense thunder, lightning and rain.

This method is called an instant prediction that can be applied to predict the path of a storm and where there will be heavy rain in a few hours. The information obtained from the immediate forecast method helps the hydrometeorological agency issue early warning of the flood path and potential risks.

The team thinks that the weather forecast agency should put flood forecasting maps on the Internet. The system must have a function to send alert messages to phones, global positioning devices and other devices.

Flash floods occur suddenly when a large amount of rain falls over an extremely short period of time (such as a few hours). This phenomenon usually occurs when a slow moving storm system is present in an area for a long time, or when several storm systems pull together to an area.

When the rain falls too fast and too much, the ground and currents will not be 'swallowed'. Water rises and begins to invade lands near the currents. Floods also form very quickly in low urban areas, because most urban surfaces are covered with concrete, but concrete does not absorb water like soil.