Thunderstorm and lightning
Topic: Natural Hazards and Disaster Management in India · NCERT: Class 11, Ch 6 "Natural Hazards and Disasters: Causes, Consequences and Management"
Meaning
A thunderstorm is a local storm with heavy rain, strong gusts of wind and electric discharges. Lightning is the giant spark that jumps between clouds, or from a cloud to the ground. Warm, moist air rises fast and builds tall storm clouds, and electric charge builds up inside them until it is suddenly released. Lightning is one of India's biggest natural killers. It hits people working in open fields hardest. The Damini app, made by IITM, warns people when lightning is likely nearby.
Example
Bihar, Odisha, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh record many lightning deaths. Farmers in open paddy fields are most at risk.
Don't confuse with
- Cloudburst: IMD defines a cloudburst as 100 mm or more of rain in one hour over about 20-30 sq km. A thunderstorm does not need rain that intense.
- Dust storm: a dust storm is strong wind lifting dry, loose soil, as in Rajasthan in April-June. It does not need rain or lightning.