Bokaro district plans fresh safety push after lightning kills youth

Bokaro: The district’s long fight against lightning deaths returned to focus after a 21-year-old man was killed in Pindrajora, highlighting the growing danger from extreme weather across Bokaro’s rural belt.

Amit Kumar Mahto died on Friday when lightning struck while he was watching children play cricket in Babudih village. The incident has revived concern over Bokaro’s position among Jharkhand’s most lightning-prone districts.

Official data shows lightning killed 46 people and 59 animals in Bokaro in the last three years, with several others injured. The district has recorded a consistent pattern of 15 to 20 deaths every year over the past decade, making lightning one of the most serious natural hazards for villagers.

Officials said Gomia, Nawadih, Chandankyari and Kasmar blocks remain the most vulnerable due to forest cover and hilly terrain. Many victims are farmers, cattle grazers or residents engaged in outdoor work when thunderstorms arrive suddenly.

District disaster management officer Shakti Kumar said unsafe shelter choices are a major factor. “Most of the victims in recent years have been from rural areas. People often take shelter under trees or remain in farmlands during thunderstorms. Bokaro is a lightning-prone zone and precautionary measures are extremely important,” he said.

The administration again urged residents to stay indoors during thunderstorms and avoid standing under tall trees. People caught outside have been advised to move into buildings and, if no shelter is available, to insulate themselves from the ground using dry materials such as wood, plastic sheets, sacks or dry leaves.

The toll has worried authorities. In 2025-26 alone, 20 people and 25 animals died in lightning incidents. The figures were 15 human deaths and 10 animal deaths in 2024-25, and 12 people and 24 animals in 2023-24. Between 2020 and 2022, lightning claimed 35 human lives and 45 cattle.

Compensation payouts have also risen. The district disaster management authority disbursed Rs 84.16 lakh in 2025-26, Rs 56.67 lakh in 2024-25 and Rs 51.22 lakh in 2023-24. Families of deceased victims receive Rs 4 lakh each.

Deputy commissioner Ajay Nath Jha said a stronger plan is being readied.

“A large-scale awareness campaign will soon be launched across panchayats, with lightning safety experts from across the country expected to train village heads and local representatives.”

He added, “We are treating this issue with utmost seriousness. The new awareness programme will go deeper into rural areas and focus on grassroots-level sensitisation. Panchayat representatives will be trained to spread awareness about lightning safety and preventive measures.”

The administration has also urged steel, coal, cement and power companies operating in Bokaro to support village awareness drives around their industrial units.