The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued thunderstorm and lightning warning for six districts in Odisha till 8.15 pm on Thursday (May 3).
Thunderstorm and lightning are expected to strike Sundergarh, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Keonjhar and Angul districts.
The IMD has advised people to stay indoors till 8.15 pm.
Here are the list of dos and don’ts during thunderstorms and lightning:
1. Switch off and unplug all electrical devices, including television, air-conditioner, ceiling fans, laptop and geyser, as lightning can damage the appliances.
2. Stay indoors. If thunderstorm and lightning stroke when you are outside, immediately seek shelter.
3. If you fail to get a shelter, try to keep all metal and electrical objects at least 20 metres away from you. Metals and electrical gadgets are conductors of electricity. So chances of electrocuted increase if you keep them near you.
4. When indoors, don’t speak on landline phone. Telephone wires too conduct electricity.
5. Avoid using metal taps or taps connected with metal pipes during lightning for the same above reason.
6. When outdoors, avoid water as it transmits lightning stroke further away.
7. Find a place safely away from trees, poles or metal objects. Lightning tend to strike high objects first.
8. Your car is a good shelter for you in times of lightning. The strike, if any, will spread over the metal body of the car and earth to the ground through the rubber tyres.
9. If you feel your hair standing on end, immediately rush indoors. Remember, the bottom of the storm is negatively charged, looking for positively charged objects to transfer the energy. Standing hair means, the negative energy is trying to connect with the positive energy of your body. According to National Geographic, this is a warning that the lightning is going to struck you.
10. Don’t stand near the glass window. If lightning strikes, the glass will get shattered and you may get hurt.