The Meteorological Agency commented on the figure of over 23,000 lightning strikes hitting northern Vietnam this morning.

(PLVN) - This morning, April 25th, many people in Northern Vietnam were surprised when the media reported that more than 23,000 lightning strikes were recorded in just the first few hours of the day. So what is the truth about this statistic?

Regarding this matter, on the afternoon of April 25th, Mr. Nguyen Vinh Thu, Director of the Center for Hydro-Meteorological Monitoring, shared with the press that information on the number of lightning strikes and lightning storm location maps are currently being provided in real time on the website www.hymetnet.gov.vn. This data source is based on a measurement system consisting of 18 stations nationwide. At each station, the number of lightning strikes is scanned within a 400-600km range, as previously published by the Center for Hydro-Meteorological Monitoring.

According to Mr. Thu, with modern equipment, every electrical discharge between clouds and from clouds to the ground is detected. In reality, the intensity of lightning strikes varies greatly. Weak lightning strikes may not be perceived by the human senses. Only when the intensity of the lightning strike is high enough can we perceive it as seeing the flash and hearing the thunder. Therefore, there is no correspondence between the number of lightning strikes counted by the equipment and the number of thunderstorms according to common understanding.

Another fact is that the device measures lightning strikes in a given area with scanning ranges from 400-600km, so the lightning statistics cover a wide area, not only Vietnam but also other countries in the region such as Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and even a part of the South China Sea.

Lightning is not a ground-based entity; it travels through clouds at vastly different speeds. Therefore, it cannot be counted according to conventional administrative boundaries.

"Returning to the figure of over 23,000 lightning strikes in the North this morning that the press reported. This is actually the number of electrical discharges measured over a large area as mentioned above. It includes lightning strikes between clouds and from clouds to the ground. The number of lightning strikes to the ground is less than 50% of the aforementioned figure. And in reality, the number of thunderstorms we felt in the North will be much less."

However, lightning is always an unexpected event. Just one lightning strike can cause damage to lives and property. Scientific statistics show that 70% of lightning strikes globally occur in tropical regions. Vietnam, in particular, is located in the heart of Asia's thunderstorm zone. During transitional months like the present, the risk of thunderstorms and lightning is higher than at other times of the year," Mr. Thu said.

The Director of the Center for Hydro-Meteorological Monitoring and Technical Services further emphasized: "The lightning and thunderstorm maps we provide are a visual reference for the community to enhance precautions when lightning and thunderstorm areas approach their locality. Scientific statistics do not correspond to the number of lightning strikes we often think of. Instead, we should focus on improving precautions and applying lightning prevention rules to minimize damage."

Ngoc Nga

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/co-quan-khi-tuong-len-tieng-ve-con-so-hon-23000-cu-set-doi-xuong-mien-bac-sang-nay-post546647.html