Thunder and Lightening Storms

[CAROLINE ORR]

I understand there are a great many lightening storms in Panama. My family and I are interested in starting an EcoLodge with emphasis on sailing and fishing and lightening would be of great concern and would prohibit our interest in Panama. We have heard from other boaters that a greater number of boats are hit and people killed from lightening in Panama than any other location but I have read nothing about it in the Panama Insider.

Can you please give me some information on this.

Thank you.

[JESSICA RAMESCH]

Dear Caroline,

Thanks for your post. To my knowledge Panama is not among the top countries in the world in terms of lightning victims. One study published by ACAN-EFE http://www.caracol.com.co/noticias/entretenimiento/brasil-es-el-pais-sobre-el-que-mas-rayos-caen-en-el-mundo/20030801/nota/50245.aspx says the world’s top ten are:

Kamembe (Rwanda), Boende, Lusambo and Kananga (Congo), Kuala Lampur (Malaysia), Calabar (Nigeria), Franceville (Gabon), Posadas (Argentina), Ocaña (Colombia) and Concepción (Paraguay).

For specialized information such as this you would need to go to an organization that you trust (for example, the World Health Organization, or the U.S. National Lightning Safety Institute, or your home country’s National Weather Service or meteorological organizations) for statistics and recommendations. For anecdotal information you might also try posting on a forum specifically for boaters, like http://yachtpals.com/boating-forum.

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