Odisha's Balasore to get country's first thunderstorm research testbed: IMD

Odisha's Balasore will getthe country's first thunderstorm research testbed, the IndiaMeteorological Department (IMD) has said.

The objective of setting up the thunderstorm testbedis to minimalise human fatalities and loss of property due tolightning strikes.

IMD Director-General Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, whilespeaking with a private television channel, also revealed thata first-of-its-kind monsoon testbed is also being planned nearBhopal.

Both the projects are in the planning stage anddetailed project reports are being made, he said.

He said the thunderstorm testbed will be establishedin a collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences,IMD, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) andIndian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).

''The IMD, ISRO and DRDO already have their units inBalasore. Observatories will be set up to cater to nearbyareas and studies on thunderstorms will be conducted on thetestbed,'' he said.

Mohapatra, often referred to as the 'Cyclone Man ofIndia' for his accurate prediction of cyclones in the Indiansubcontinent, pointed out that many lives are lost in Odisha,West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand due to lightning strikesevery year between April and June.

More than 350 people are killed on an average inlightning strikes in Odisha every year, official sources said.

The state has lost 3,218 lives to lightning strikes innine years till 2019-20.

Over 400 people were killed in lightning strikes in2016-17, while 470 lives were lost in 2017-18 and 334 in2018-19, they added.