Being struck by lightning is no joke: Dozens injured within days

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After several lightning injuries within just five days, lightning safety specialist John Jensenius is pleading with people to bear one simple message in mind.

Head to a safe place at the first signs of a developing or approaching storm, said Jensenius, a lightning expert with the National Lightning Safety Council and a retired National Weather Service meteorologist.

More than 30 people were injured by lightning strikes across the nation June 20-24, Jensenius said. Based on media reports in many cases, the injured weren’t following lightning safety recommendations, he said.

Lingering under the beach canopy? Hate to leave the pool? Trying to squeeze in that last inning at the ballpark? When the weather is stormy, it’s not worth the risk.

“People often wait far too long to get to a safe place and that puts them in a dangerous and potentially deadly situation,” he said. No place outside is safe when thunderstorms are in the area, and lightning can strike outward 10 miles from a storm, according to the safety council.

In Lexington, South Carolina, on June 24, 20 people were injured by a lightning strike at Lake Murray Public Park. Eighteen of the injured, including six adults and 12 children, were taken to nearby hospitals, the local weather service office said. None of the injuries were considered life-threatening.

Four lightning-related deaths have been reported in the United States this year, according to the weather service and the safety council.

One death and at least seven lightning-related injuries have occurred in Florida since June 21.

A restaurant diner was struck on June 23 in Navarre Beach along the state’s Panhandle and taken to the hospital. That same day, lightning struck a beach cabana in Holmes Beach, south of Tampa Bay. One of the four people under the cabana was taken to a hospital, and the others declined medical treatment, according to media reports collected by the weather service.

On the state's southwest coast on June 21, three people suffered minor injuries after lightning struck a tiki hut on the beach, according to the Marco Island Police Department.

In New Smyrna Beach, in east Central Florida, 29-year-old Jake Rosencranz, of Colorado, died after being struck by lightning on the beach on June 21, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. Bystanders reported the sun was shining at the beach, but the weather service said storms were likely forming to the west. Two other men were injured that afternoon, just about 8 miles inland on a golf course.

In Duryea, Pennsylvania, on June 22, a 27-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy were injured when lightning struck a nearby tree.

If you hear any thunder, even a distant rumble, you are likely within striking distance of the storm, Jensenius said. “Move quickly to a fully enclosed substantial building with plumbing and wiring at the first signs of a developing or approaching thunderstorm,” the council advises.

Safety council recommendations:

Outside safety:

◾Schedule outdoor activities to avoid the lightning risk.

◾Check the latest forecast and cancel or postpone activities if thunderstorms are predicted.

◾Monitor weather conditions via radar or a lightning app.

◾Keep a watchful eye on the sky. Listen for thunder.

◾Remain inside the safe place for at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before returning outside.

Inside safety:

◾Anything that is plugged into an electrical outlet is dangerous to touch when a thunderstorm is in the area.

◾Any plumbing (or water coming from the plumbing) is dangerous to touch when a thunderstorm is in the area.

If someone is struck:

◾Victims are safe to touch.

◾Call 911 or signal for help.

◾Begin CPR or use a defibrillator (AED), if necessary.

Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for Paste BN, writes about climate change, violent weather and other news. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal.