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Met Department warning:
Beware of Bak Maha Akunu
Disna MUDALIGE
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Two more lightning deaths
Amila Prabath WANASINGHE
Two youths died of electrocution and another was injured and admitted
to the Galgamuwa hospital after being struck by lightning as they were
taking cover under a huge tree on the banks of a tank in Ethimale in
Galgamuwa during a heavy thunder shower around 6.45 pm on Monday. The
youths had been on their way back home after play when tragedy struck
them.
The deceased were identified as J. A Asanka Sandaruwan
Gunatilleke(18) and R. M. Sanath Kumara of Guruwawatta, Ehetuwewa.
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 The Meteorology Department yesterday requested the public to take
adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning, popularly
known as Bak Maha Akunu, which is peculiar to the month of April with
the approach of convectoral showers.
It forecasts that showers or thundershowers would develop over most
parts of the island during the afternoon and evening today. It also
stated that there might be temporary localized fairly strong winds
during thundershowers. During the inter-monsoonal period high daytime
temperature leads to air particles closer to ground to rise.
At higher atmosphere, generally around 10-12 kilometres from the
ground, the air particles will turn into packets filled with moisture
and form clouds due to cooling effects.
Out of these clouds some become unstable and this is the cause for
thunderstorms, a spokesman for the department explained. The department
also said that the Sun would be directly overhead on Sri Lanka from
April 5 to 14 adding that the nearest towns over which the Sun was
overhead yesterday about 12.12 noon, were Maradankadawala, Oddu madu and
Maha Illuppallama. |
