Frequent lightning cases due to climate change

In Burundi and in the world, cases of people struck by lightning are frequent nowadays. Pr Pierre Nzohabonayo, Physicist and Lecturer at the University of Burundi indicates that it is due to climate change.-Lorraine Josiane Manishatse

Pr Pierre Nzohabonayo, explaining the peak effect phenomenon.©Iwacu

“The frequency of people or any other body struck by lightning is related to climate change. I who very often look at the stars, I have noticed that they are nowadays less visible than in previous years. They are covered by storms,” explains Pr Pierre Nzohabonayo, Physicist and Lecturer at the University of Burundi. He indicates that lightning is a natural phenomenon; it is the result of destructive electrostatic discharges. In electricity, there are two kinds of loads: positive and negative charges. The charged particles repel and attract different signs. “One can generate charges by frictions or loads coming from cosmic rays. There can also be charges in the atmosphere,” explains Nzohabonayo. He insists that the lightning is observed when thunderclouds are loaded. A cloud can be charged positively in the bottom and negatively in the top. Then, the cloud becomes momentarily a kind of a condenser i.e a combination of two conductors carrying opposite charges. According to him, the phenomenon of influence is engaged. If a body positively charged is approached to a neutral conductor that is not charged, it will attract negative charges.

Lightning is more frequent in tropical zone

Lightning is an atmospheric electricity. The current flows through the atmosphere. In principle, dry air is resistant; it can’t be crossed by the current. “There are two factors that can facilitate the current crossing. First, it is the potential difference. For lightning, it is estimated to thousands of volts. Secondly, the lightning appears frequently in tropical zone. It appears when there are storms, when the atmosphere is hot and humid,” explains the physicist. It is worth mentioning that peak effect is an influencing factor in the current crossing. Charges have tendency to concentrate on great elevation. Cases of people struck by lightning appear if they are on mountaintops. He advises people to avoid being on high mountains in the areas of desert, and to take shelters under the trees during the rain. He also calls the government to protect public buildings with lightning rods to avoid lightning accidents. For him, when it is raining or when there are thunderstorms in the atmosphere, it is advised to shelter into houses and cars because they can’t be struck by lightning. It is well explained by the principle of Faraday cage.