Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020 | 28th June 2020

Today's Must Read Articles :

WORLD DRUG REPORT

DO YOU WANT TO MAKE COVID-19 DRUG ?

SANKALP PARV

HUBLI – ANKOLA RAILWAY LINE 

INDIA’S CLEAN POWER REPORT

 Lightning strikes

      HEADLINES:

South America witnessed extreme lightning strikes in 2018, 2019: WMO

      WHY IN NEWS:

While a strike in Brazil travelled the longest distance, one in Argentina lasted for the longest duration recorded till now

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Disaster management

      LEARNING: 

For PRELIMS well nothing to mind much here . We have included this issue because more than hundred lives were lost in a similar incident yesterday – Bihar.

For MAINS this incident should let you know all do’s and don’ts with respect to LIGHTNING EVENTS.

      ISSUE: 

Brazil recorded a lightning strike that travelled a distance of 709 kilometres, while Argentina recorded a strike that lasted for 16.73 seconds, the World Meteorological Organization  (WMO) declared recently.  

Brazil and Argentina set world records in 2018 and 2019 respectively after recording lightning strikes that travelled the farthest and lasted the longest.

LIGHTNING RECORDS

  The Brazilian flash of lightning occurred in the southern part of the country on October 31, 2018.

• The country has the highest incidence of lightning in the world — an average of 77.8 million strikes per year.
• The distance travelled by the lightning strike was the same as the distance between Boston and Washington, DC in the United States !
• The Argentine flash of lightning took place over the northern part of the country on March 4, 2019.

  The lightning flashes that have now entered the record books are known as ‘Megaflashes’ in scientific parlance.

• “They are defined as horizontal mesoscale lightning discharges that reach hundreds of kilometres in length,”

LIGHTNING STRIKES IN INDIA

The WMO’s findings come even as 92 people were killed in lightning strikes in Bihar on June 25, 2020.

• NUMBER OF FATALITY : The state is second after Uttar Pradesh with the maximum number of deaths due to lightning.

At least 170 people died in Bihar due to lightning in 2019 between April 1 and July 31.

• INCREASING INCIDENTS : The number of lightning days across India have been increasing significantly every month, according to the report of the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
• In fact, lightning strikes kill more people in India than any other extreme weather event.

FORECAST

• IMD FORECAST : Such fatalities could be avoided if states share IMD’s forecast on lightning with people on time.
• STAY INDOORS : If the time between a lightning flash and thunder is less than 30 seconds, people should stay indoors and wait 30 minutes after the last observed flash to resume outdoor activities- WMO.

      IASbhai WINDUP: 

• Many trees can often be destroyed by lightning strikes.
• When lightning hits a tree, it usually travels just below the tree’s bark where there is a layer of sap and water.

QUICK GUIDE ON LIGHTNING

• Do not touch any metal object .
• Staying inside car or house are safe .
• Standing below a tree is like inviting high voltage.
• Switch off any equipment at house which can conduct electricity.

     SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB/DAILY CURRENT AFFAIRS for UPSC CSE Prelims & Mains

8 States account for over 85% active COVID-19 cases

      HEADLINES:

8 States account for over 85% active COVID-19 cases in India

      WHY IN NEWS:

87% deaths too occurred in these States; 15 Central teams deployed to help them

SYLLABUS COVERED: GS 3:Health:Diseases

      ISSUE: 

It was mentioned that Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Telangana, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal contribute 85.5% of active caseload and 87% of total deaths in India.

• The spread of the pandemic was reviewed at the 17th meeting of the high-level Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 held under the chairmanship of Health Minister Harsh Vardhan.

The GOM was briefed about the recovery, mortality and doubling rates, the increased testing capacity and the strengthened healthcare infrastructure.

      IASbhai WINDUP: 

• The national dashboard for COVID-19 was launched on April 1.
•  Empowered Group disposed of 93.84% of the 77,307 grievances received by the Central Ministries and 63.11% of the 53,130 grievances pertaining to the State governments.

     SOURCES:THE HINDU & PIB | Current Affairs News Analysis | Prelims & Mains 2020

DISCOVER MORE : Important Daily Current Affairs for UPSC PRELIMS 2020

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for Daily Current Affairs , Editorial Analysis & Answer writing video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.