lightning
From April 2016 to the end of last year, 59 people died from lightning strikes, but this year the figure rose to 80 between April and August 28, with another 25 people injured, according to the Department of Relief and Resettlement.

Previously, lightning strikes were not taken as seriously as today. Lightning strikes are often associated with cumulonimbus clouds, which are dense tower-shaped clouds at the origin of thunderstorms and atmospheric instability. These clouds are capable of producing lightning and other dangerous weather, such as tornadoes, according to the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

Cumulonimbus clouds are the main source of lightning strikes. In the past few years, lightning strikes used to happen at the end and beginning of the monsoons. This year, cumulonimbus clouds remained for the whole rainy season due to irregular raining, said U Kyaw Moe Oo, associate director general of the Department of Meteorology and Hydrology.

This year, all states and regions suffered casualties, beside from Chin State. Deaths from lightning strikes were the highest in Ayeyarwady Region with 18; Bago Region had 12 deaths; Tanintharyi Region, Magwe Region, Shan state and Mandalay Region all had seven; and Yangon Region had six deaths.

"Last year, we indemnified for deaths by lightning. This year we compensate for both deaths and injuries: K300,000 for death and K50000 for injury," said Daw Phyu Lai Lai Tun, deputy director of Department of Relief and Resettlement.

Ayeyarwady Region and Bago Region were most affected as they are plains regions, said Dr. Kyaw Moe Oo.