Lightning/Thundered Risk Analysis

This is our Bangladesh, a riverside landscape of natural beauty. This country of six seasons is one of the best habitats in the world due to seasonal variations, comfortable environments, and other amenities. However, along with the benefits of seasonal variations, the people of the country have to suffer and suffer from natural disasters such as droughts, floods, cyclones, etc. Another natural disaster that has emerged in epidemic form in the last few decades is Lightning Strike. Just looking at the statistics of the last few years will tell you why it is being called an epidemic. In the 2nd week of May 2016, about 81 people lost their lives in the news. Not only that, lightning is responsible for the death of about four thousand people every year. In Bangladesh, this number is 200 to 300, but it is feared that the death toll is increasing day by day.

Why does lightning happen?

This is undoubtedly a pertinent question. I will not discuss it in detail for the sake of everyone's understanding and to limit the length of writing. The main source of lightning is clouds moving in the atmosphere. As the cloud floats in the air, it condenses and becomes ionized or charged. In this process, a positive charge accumulates at the top of the cloud and a negative charge accumulates at the bottom. In this way, a huge amount of electrical ions or charge accumulates in huge clouds. The negative charge at the bottom of the cloud repels the surface electrons along the cloud, causing the region to become positively charged. Due to the large charge, the air becomes ionized and behaves as a dielectric. As a result, the charge stored in the cloud is discharged to the surface using the ionized air as a path. This is what we see as lightning.

Each thunderbolt has up to 10 million potential volts with a power of up to 1000 gigawatts. Enthusiastic scientists are conducting various types of research to capture this huge amount of electricity generated from lightning and make it useful for various purposes. But more scientists and technologists are engaged in keeping it safe than using this electricity. Because a highly destructive lightning strike can cause your building to catch fire, destroy electrical equipment, and even crack concrete structures. If it hits a tall pole or tree, it catches fire, death can occur in a thunderstorm on people or animals.

Things to do to stay safe from lightning:

Using weather-related apps on mobile phones can give you an advanced idea about lightning. Thunderstorms usually last 30-45 minutes. Stay at home this time. Do not go out of the house if a deep and vertical cloud appears. Avoid open spaces fields or high places during lightning. If there is a threat of lightning, take shelter under a building or concrete canopy as soon as possible. Stay away from high trees, electric poles, and wires, metal poles, etc. Close umbrellas with metal handles during thunderstorms. These will help you instantly if you are struck by lightning.

In addition to personal safety from lightning, you must install a lightning protection system to protect your home or building. According to Bangladesh Building Construction Regulations 2006 (BNBC 2006), lightning protection systems subject to Risk Index Calculation must be installed in every structure. A Mesh Conductor system is recommended in Bindhimala which is a globally accepted method. Many domestic (e.g. AUS/NZ) and international (e.g. IEEE) standards recommend a mesh conductor arrangement, including the American National Fire Assembly (NFPA), and British Standard (BS). An ideal mesh conductor lightning protection system consists of a strike termination device/Air Terminal, Mesh Conductor, Down Conductor, Ground Electrode Equipotential Bonding, etc.

We have made enough technological development to protect ourselves from this lightning. It is called a Lightning protection system. Its two methods, one conventional and the other ESE (Early Streamer Emission). These are very useful in a disaster-prone country like ours. And realizing that, Iconic Engineering has brought these systems to Bangladesh from the beginning. Which you are getting in no time.

Contact us today to learn more and schedule your Lightning/Thundered Risk Analysis service.

You can get any of the following:
📞 01977-426642
📧 info@iconic.com.bd
🌐 www.iconic.com.bd

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