Cabinet Paper on Lightning Safety Centre soon

by Ranil WIAJAYAPALA

A Cabinet Paper on setting up a National Centre for lightning safety to monitor lightning related incidents and take measures to mitigate the damage from lightning incidents will be presented soon for approval, Disaster Management Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

He said the Cabinet Paper was prepared after the committee appointed last February under the Chairmanship of the Meteorology Department Chief recommended the setting up a National Lightning Safety Centre.

Experts on the subject and representatives from all fields including the Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, Health Sector and Ceylon Electricity Board on the committee formulated measures to deal with lightning related incidents.

Minister Amaraweera said that experts including Dr. Chandana Jayaratne of the Colombo University have estimated that the property damage due to lightning incidents costs Rs.300 million to Rs. 1 billion per year thus making a national issue to be addressed soon.

"Last year we had 51 deaths due to lightning. In 2002 we had 49 cases. On an average there are 30 to 40 deaths per year. Hence we have to address this problem very soon", said former Meteorological Department Chief G.B. Samarasinghe.