Mr. Charles Yorke, Head of Research, Ghana Meteorological Agency, has advised against standing under trees during thunderstorms. He explained that should a tree be struck by lighting and electricity is generated around it, any living thing in the vicinity could be electrocuted.

Mr. Yorke was speaking at a symposium organized by the Eastern Region Branch of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) in Koforidua on Climate Change, to mark the observation of the World Press Freedom Day in the region.

The theme for the symposium was "Climate Change Adaptation-factors of land use Water Resources Management and the Weather: The role of the Media".

It was sponsored by the Media Capacity Building Project on Climate Change of African Adaptation Programme (AAP)/ICFJ.

He advised people to put off their television sets during thunderstorms because the antenna could attract lightening and through that destroy the television set.

Mirrors should also be covered because the mirror could reflect light thrown on it by lightning and can blind people permanently.

Last week, Accra was hit by a rare violent thunderstorm which brought down buildings, trees, billboards and other structures.

Though an act of God, questions are being raised about the agencies responsible for citing buildings and structures within the metropolis.

The Meteorological Agency has also come under criticism for its untimely forecasts.

In a press release concerning the Accra thunderstorm, the Advertisers Association of Ghana (AAG) has expressed regret about "the impact of such unfortunate losses to individuals, the communities and the contractors" and called for the necessary steps to be enforced immediately to control further losses.

The uprooted billboards were the most glaring sign of the havoc wreaked by the storms.

In addition to the caution cited by the meteoroligical officer should be added the avoidance of standing close to a billboard during a storm.