How to Make Baseline Studies of Lightning Deaths and Damages

Abstract

Fatalities from lightning are more likely to be reported than injuries. National data are essential to ascertaining the level of lightning vulnerability of a country’s population, and multiple years of data are highly preferable. Interannual fluctuations in lightning fatalities are to be expected due to the natural variability of lightning occurrence, and great care must be taken to avoid over-interpreting these changes. A governmental agency, such as a meteorological service, medical reporting system, or natural hazards reports should be considered as a first source of data. Reports need to include as much detail as possible. The ratio of injuries per death can be an indicator of the quality of a lightning casualty database.

With respect to damages, it is not possible to collect data about all of the direct and indirect impacts of lightning. The costs of long-term preventive measures to reduce the effects of lightning before it occurs may not show up in calculations. Industries usually do not release information on structural damages to the public, although anecdotes of spectacular stories may be useful in maintaining general lightning awareness.