How often do you hear the phrase “You’re more likely to be struck by lightning”? It’s so rare that we don’t take the risk seriously, and yet every year it happens to around 60 people in Britain alone. What happens to them? What can you do to reduce the risk of it happening to you, and how should you respond if you see it happen to somebody else? Lightning strikes may not be a big risk, but we can make that risk much smaller.
Who is most at risk from lightning?
Lightning strikes occur around three million times a day, but they’re not evenly distributed. Storms are more common in hot, wet places, and Venezuela is the country that gets the worst of it, averaging around 40,000 strikes a day. Away from the equator, it’s a seasonal phenomenon, with the risk in Britain being highest between May and August. Unfortunately, that’s the time when people are most likely to be outside.
Most people who live in cities have little to fear from lightning, though it’s still possible to get unlucky. The people most likely to be struck are, unsurprisingly, those who spend a lot of time outdoors, such as farmers, hikers, climbers and golfers. Golf clubs make particularly good conductors, especially if they’re raised up in the air. This makes coastal golf courses a particular risk, because lightning can travel much greater distances across the sea – so far that you might not even know there’s a storm. Modern ships have protection systems to route lightning away from vital systems and keep crews and passengers safe.
Lightning is more likely to strike human beings in big open spaces where there’s nothing taller for it to hit. Historically, it used to terrify people living on the Eurasian Steppe, who would seek refuge in the shadow of hills. Genghis Khan came to power partly because he impressed people with his lack of fear of lightning. He explained that when he was in exile, he had no shelter from it, and since it didn’t happen to hit him, he lost his fear.
Reducing your risk from lightning
The easiest way to protect yourself from getting struck by lightning is a simple one: when a storm breaks, go indoors. Even going into a car will make you much safer, because lightning usually travels around the body of the car and doesn’t affect what’s inside. Don’t try to shelter under a tree. Trees attract lightning and if it runs through them, it will still be close enough to you to do real damage.
In facing the lightning out on the steppe, Genghis Khan probably had an advantage because he was alone. When there’s lightning around, being part of a Mongol horde, or any kind of crowd, is a bad idea. If you’re in a big open space and there’s nowhere to hide, get as far away from other people as you can. Squat down and fold your body into a ball. Don’t sit down or lie down, because having more of your body in contact with wet earth or grass will make you a better conductor, and therefore more attractive to the lightning.
If you have any ferrous metal objects with you, whether golf clubs or something else, drop them and get away from them. It’s a good idea to do the same with your phone. Lightning usually passes straight through the human body, but it can linger around electronic objects like phones, causing more serious burns.
The UK Met Office offers these three tips for staying safe in lightning.
What happens when someone is struck by lightning?
Contrary to most people’s expectations, being struck by lightning is not usually fatal. Only 5% to 10% of people are immediately killed. Under normal circumstances, lightning doesn’t cause serious burns – even though it’s five times as hot as the surface of the sun – but it can do neurological damage and disrupt the rhythm of the heart.
If you see somebody struck by lightning, it’s important to summon medical help as quickly as possible. They will usually be dazed; if not, keep them as calm as you can. Reassure them and, if they’re able to respond, make conversation. It will help the emergency services if you can find out their name and if they have any serious medical conditions, but don’t press to hard – the most important thing is that they avoid panic.
The most dangerous period after a lightning strike is the next few hours, but proper medical care makes all the difference. Some people need ongoing treatment for cardiac issues. It’s common to have some memory loss and difficulty with concentration – the sort of ‘brain fog’ that many of us are familiar with today as a result of Covid. Ongoing pain is rare but does happen, with headaches the most common problem, and a lot of people have sensations like pins and needles. The senses can be affected. Hearing may become more acute and things may smell or taste different.
Unsurprisingly, many lightning strike survivors suffer from PTSD, and depression can also develop. Friends and family need to recognise that these are long term effects and that the survivor will need their support. Because being struck by lightning is so rare, these problems can be exacerbated by the feeling that nobody understands, but there is an international peer support organisation, Lightning Strike & Electrical Shock Survivors International, that can help with this.
In addition to all this, survivors are frequently left with elaborate, branching scars that chart the flow of lightning through their bodies. These are rarely painful and many people regard them as beautiful. They mark out lightning strike survivors as special. Of course, some have more dramatic stories than others. If you feel sympathy for those struck once, spare a thought for Virginia park ranger Roy Sullivan, who, during the course of his 71 years of life, was struck seven times. He survived each one, and was also able to help his wife after another strike hit her.
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