Lightning as a Notified Disaster: Addressing India’s Deadliest Natural Hazard

Recent severe storms in Uttar Pradesh have resulted in over 100 fatalities within a 24-hour window, highlighting lightning as the deadliest natural hazard in North India. Despite causing more annual deaths than floods or cyclones, lightning is not currently classified as a 'notified disaster' at the national level under the Disaster Management Act, 2005. This lack of official status limits the availability of funds from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and complicates the implementation of uniform safety protocols. Experts and state governments are increasingly urging the Union government to include lightning in the list of notified disasters. Currently, while some states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar have declared it a state-specific disaster to provide relief from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the absence of a national mandate hinders a coordinated approach. Classification as a notified disaster would streamline the compensation process for victims—primarily rural farmers and laborers—and mandate the integration of lightning-resilient infrastructure, such as lightning arresters, in public buildings and schools.