har desert is facing an alarming rise in lethal lightning strikes. At least 48 people have died in lightning bolt incidents in the district in three years during unseasonal rains and thunderstorms that have lashed various parts of the region.

According to the local administration, there has also been loss of livestock due to lightning strikes, and widespread damage to the crops owing to unseasonal rains.

On May 30, six people died and nine others sustained injuries when lightning struck near Mithi after heavy rainfall and a powerful thunderstorm pummeled the region.

The incident occurred when a caravan was on its way after having tea in Satar village. Some of the travelers had chosen to stay behind. Suddenly there was a cloud burst and heavy rain. About 30 people were present. Some of them sought shelter beneath a vehicle known as chakrro. That was where the lightning struck, resulting in deaths and injuries.

According to Zulfiqar Khoso, a journalist based in Nagarparkar, the victims were headed towards a shrine of Hindu holy man, Parbharam.

“In a stark shift from the past, the traditionally celebrated rainfall in the Thar region has become a source of distress and concern for its inhabitants. Previously, it was cherished as a blessing. In recent years, we have witnessed a notable change in the narrative. People now fear for their safety. Many choose well-being over the enjoyment of rainfall. Unseasonal rainfall and thunderstorms have created an urgent need for people to take precautions to save their lives. There is a growing awareness of the risks associated with unexpected downpours,“ says Khoso.

“Rainfall used to be a blessing for the people of Thar. It can now be a terrible experience,” says Vidya, a Thari woman. She adds, “Our livestock were harmed by the rain the previous years. Our animals are as important to us as members of our family. We cannot afford to see them dying this way. It is sad. We have now reduced the number of cattle we keep for we fear losing them to the calamitous lightning bolts and heavy rainfall. Our hearts are broken, our eyes are filled with tears, and our stomachs are empty. We feel lost. We feel lonely.”

Fifty-eight years old, Mehar Ali Rind, a shepherd from a local village, Ratanyari, in Nagarparkar, tells his sorry tale about the fallouts of lightning strikes on his livelihood and earning. He says livestock is under a perpetual treat since lightning strikes have become quite frequent. “Being the sole herdsman of the village, I lose income every time an animal dies. Some people have cut down the number of cattle they want to keep,” Rind adds.

Earlier, he says, the animals were routinely taken to pastures to graze, moving to more humid areas during droughts. The changing rain patterns, he says, have left them confused and bewildered.

Having a rich cultural heritage and a deep understanding of their land, the Thari people have also inherited some myths pertaining to natural calamities. Some of them believe that household mirrors tend to attract lightning bolts. Some say there is a higher chance of a lightning strike when mirrors are exposed to the outdoors. They therefore hide the mirrors as soon as there is a sign of rain.

Another myth espoused by them is about the giant milkweed plant – known as akk or aakado. It is believed that akk has a supernatural capacity to avert lightning-strikes. For this reason, some people place branches of the plant on the roof of their huts in order to save themselves from lightning strikes.

Arpna Odhano, a Mithi-based girl, says, “Recently, I heard about the case where a lightning strike had killed eight Hindu pilgrims and critically injured others in Tharparkar. This wasn’t the first time I have heard about something like that. However, it was the first time I pondered over the causes behind it.”

Responding to the questions about centuries-old myths for lightning protection, she said the myths were kind of folk stories that generations had passed on. Whenever there was rain, she said, her mother used to cover all the mirrors in the house. A rainfall would also cause her parents to quarrel, or so they believed. “She used to tell my father to switch off his phone. Otherwise, lightning will hit our house, she said, but he never agreed. “

Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz says the frequency of extreme events and lightning strikes and thunderstorms has risen by 40 to 50 percent over the last 50 to 60 years due to climate change caused by global warming.

He cites a study to state that an increase in average temperature by 1°C, causes moisture in the air to increase by 7 to 8 pc. More evaporation causes the formation of more clouds and more rains. He says the recent disasters in Tharparkar and other areas of lower Sindh, are attributable to climate change.

The Non-Muslim Welfare Committee of Minorities Affairs Department Government of Sindh held a meeting on June 8. The committee approved a financial assistance of Rs 500,000 for each of the bereaved families of the deceased persons and Rs 100,000 for the injured.

Special Assistant to Chief Minister Veerji Kolhi confirmed that under the directives of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the Minority Affairs Department had approved this assistance. He said the department will soon release the funds.

The writer is a multimedia journalist based in Hyderabad, Sindh. He tweets @MathraniSanjai and can be reached at smmathrani1@gmail.com