NC is among the states with the most lightning strike injuries. What are your odds?
Lightning kills around 20 people in the United States. and results in hundreds of injuries each year, according to the National Weather Service.
One of the latest victims was William Friend, the husband of “One Tree Hill” star Bevin Prince, killed while on a boat near Masonboro Island in North Carolina, The Charlotte Observer reported.
From 2006-2021, most lightning deaths in the U.S. occurred in the summer months, with 147 reported during July, NWS records show.
NWS data also shows North Carolina is among the states that report the most lightning injuries and deaths annually.
Here’s how often lightning strikes occur and what your chances of being struck are.
There are multiple ways to be struck by lightning
There are five ways lightning strikes people, according to the NWS:
Direct strike: When a person becomes part of the main lightning discharge channel. This usually happens in open areas.
Side flash: When lightning strikes a taller object, like a tree, some of the current jumps to the victim.
Ground current: When the current from a lightning strike travels along the ground. This can affect anyone outside near a lightning strike.
Conduction: When lighting travels over a long distance through metal wires, plumbing or metal surfaces that extend outside.
Streamers: When a branch of lightning reaches a point around 160 feet off the ground and connects with an upward developing positive charge.
What happens to your body after being struck?
Around one in 10 lightning strikes are fatal, but the electric current from a strike can cause damage to internal organs, burns and cardiac arrest, according to Dignity Health, a California-based health care company.
Symptoms of a lightning strike include:
Thermal burns
Clothing that is blown apart or burned
Breathing problems
Confusion, disorientation and memory problems
Personality changes, which can be permanent
Loss of consciousness
Temporary hearing loss
Numbness, tingling or pain
Weakness or paralysis
Vision problems
The odds of becoming a lightning strike victim
The odds of being struck by lightning in any given year are less than one in 1 million, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The odds of being struck over the course of your life are one in 15,300, the NWS says. Some factors can put you at a greater risk of being struck, like working outside or participating in outdoor activities.
How to avoid a lightning strike
Indoors is the safest place to be during a thunderstorm, experts say. Here are some tips to reduce your chances of getting struck by lightning while inside:
Don’t bathe, shower, wash dishes or have any other contact with water.
Don’t touch electronic equipment.
Stay away from windows, doors, porches and concrete.
Don’t use corded phones.
If you’re outside during a thunderstorm, you should seek shelter immediately. If shelter is not available, you should:
Stay away from elevated areas, like hills, mountains or peaks.
Avoid sheltering under a tree, cliff or rocky overhang.
Get out of and away from ponds, lakes and other bodies of water.
Stay away from objects that conduct electricity like barbed wire or power lines.
Avoid open spaces.
Separate from others if you are in a group to reduce the number of injuries if lightning strikes the ground.
This story was originally published July 8, 2022 at 2:03 PM.
