151 lightning deaths since 2015: KSDMA

Kochi: An average of 14 people are killed by lightning every year in Kerala, according to data from Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA). A total of 151 deaths were recorded between 2015 and 2026, with 141 of those occurring between 2015 and 2025. In 2026, 10 people have already lost their lives to lightning strikes so far.Among the 14 districts, Thiruvananthapuram and Kottayam recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 17 each, while Kasargod had the lowest, with just four. Deaths peaked in 2017 and 2018 at 20 each, while 2020 saw the fewest, with only five— largely because Covid-induced lockdowns kept people indoors. In 2025, 14 people died: Eight between March and June, and the remaining five in Oct. KSDMA officials noted, however, that the risk of fatal lightning strikes is not confined to any particular season — it is exposure to lightning that leads to mortality, regardless of whether it is the pre- or post-monsoon season."If lightning strikes the body, chances of survival are very low," a KSDMA official said. "It can hit a person directly, through a side flash (also called a side splash), where lightning strikes a taller object and energy transfers to a nearby person, or through ground conductivity. In Kerala, most lightning fatalities occur through side splashes and ground conductivity, rather than direct strikes."Lightning activity in Kerala is most frequent during the evenings. The four youngsters who died in Malappuram on Tuesday were struck while standing atop a viewpoint, illustrating the acute danger of elevated, open locations. The govt is raising public awareness about lightning risks, which are most often fatal and can also cause severe burns, loss of vision or hearing and cardiac arrest in survivors.KSDMA has prepared an action plan to reduce lightning-related deaths. Key advisories urge people to seek shelter immediately at the first signs of lightning and avoid open spaces, terraces, elevated areas and tree branches. Standing or parking under trees is also dangerous, as lightning that strikes a tree can side flash onto nearby people or vehicles. If caught in the open and unable to reach shelter, people should crouch low with feet together and tuck their head between their knees, curling into a ball to minimise exposure and reduce the risk of a strike through ground conductivity.KSDMA has pointed out that no outdoor location is entirely safe during a lightning storm, and that moving indoors at the earliest warning sign remains the single most effective precaution.