A jolting, excruciating pain. “My whole body was just stopped—I couldn't move any more,” Justin recalls. “The pain was … I can't explain the pain except to say if you've ever put your finger in a light socket as a kid, multiply that feeling by a gazillion throughout your entire body.
That combined with the methane gas in poop caused the bomb-like effect that traveled through the pipes, exploding the toilet in their master bathroom. The plumbing company said this is just as rare as getting struck by lightning yourself. Luckily, the mess will be covered by insurance.
"A big shed, house or the safest place is a car. "The car is metal outside, so if lightning strikes it is like a Faraday cage. "The lightning strike would actually follow the outside and then disappear into the ground."
Cars are safe from lightning because of the metal cage surrounding the people inside the vehicle. This may sound counter-intuitive because metal is a good conductor of electricity, but the metal cage of a car directs the lightning charge around the vehicle occupants and safely into the ground.
But some storms start while people are showering, others might not be aware that a storm is happening, and others will just risk it. Putting all this together, you have about 50*24*0.013/(100 million) = 16 deaths per 100 million for someone who takes an extra shower during a thunderstorm.
No. Lightning can travel through plumbing. It is best to avoid all water during a lightning storm. Do not shower, bathe, wash dishes, or wash your hands.
In fact, lightning can heat the air it passes through to 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5 times hotter than the surface of the sun).
Unfortunately, tent safety during a thunderstorm in the backcountry can be extremely challenging. If the tent stands higher than nearby objects or is under a tree, you could be at an increased risk of being struck by lightning or suffering exposure to sideflash or ground current—all which can be deadly.
Myth #8 – Wearing metal on your body attracts lightning.Height, pointy shape and isolation are the dominant factors in whether lightning will strike an object (including you). However, touching or being near metal objects, such as a fence, can be unsafe when thunderstorms are nearby.
Lightning is four times hotter than the sun. A return stroke of lightning, that is, a bolt shooting up from the ground to a cloud (after a stream of electricity came downward from a cloud) can peak at 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit (F). The surface of the sun is around 11,000 degrees F.
A return stroke of bright light travels about 60,000 miles per second up toward the cloud. This sequence happens so fast that one single, visible flash could consist of one or 20 return strokes. This type of strike is the most dangerous to people.
An Imminent StrikeA close or direct lightning strike will sometimes give you a short warning a few seconds before the event, usually in the form of: A soft or loud buzzing, clicking, hissing or cracking sound. A tingling sensation. Hairs on the arm or head standing on end.
Direct StrikeA person struck directly by lightning becomes a part of the main lightning discharge channel. Most often, direct strikes occur to victims who are in open areas. The heat produced when lightning moves over the skin can produce burns, but the current moving through the body is of greatest concern.
Lightning cannot give you superpowers, but, if you survive, it can totally change your life. This really happened in 1994 to Tony Cicoria, a well-known orthopedic surgeon, when he was struck by a lightning. You can't get supernatural abilities from lightning.
Roy Cleveland Sullivan (February 7, 1912 – September 28, 1983) was a United States park ranger in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Between 1942 and 1977, Sullivan was hit by lightning on seven occasions and survived all of them.
Call 911 immediately if someone has been struck by lightning. Next, see if it is safe to touch the person. Move him or her to a safer area if there is a continued danger from lightning strikes. If the person is not breathing or has no pulse, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and continue until help arrives.
No death has been recorded to date from lightning during indoor swimming activities. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reported 60 swimming pool electrocutions between 1990 and 2003, and none were from lightning.
Lightning 30/30 rule: If it takes less than 30 seconds to hear thunder after seeing the flash, lightning is near enough to pose a threat; after the storm ends, wait 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.
Lightning doesn't strike the ocean as much as land, but when it does,it spreads out over the water, which acts as a conductor. It can hit boats that are nearby, and electrocute fish that are near the surface. If you're at the beach and hear thunder or see lightning, get out of the water.
Lightning often strikes water, and water conducts electricity. That means that the currents from a lightning strike can seriously injure you. In fact, it can even kill you. This is why, when you hear thunder or see lightning, it's a good idea to avoid the pool, beach and any other large body of water.
A: Swimming during a thunderstorm is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Lightning regularly strikes water, and since water conducts electricity, a nearby lightning strike could kill or injure you. To be really safe, you should not swim in an indoor pool when lightning is around.
Lightning tends to strike the highest point, but height isn't the only factor in where it hits. If you're in electrified water, you may suffer electric shock and burns, even if lightning doesn't hit you directly. You can die from indirect lightning strikes in pools, so you should avoid swimming during thunderstorms.
People should be directed to safe shelter nearby. Pool activities should remain suspended until thirty minutes after the last thunder is heard. The distance from Strike A to Strike B to Strike C can be some 5-8 miles away.
While lightning has been recorded to strike at a distance of 10 miles, the rule of thumb used for safety is a six mile distance. Thus, seeking shelter is recommended if the lightning is six miles away or less.
Although the odds of being hit by lightning in a person's lifetime are 1 in 13,500, men are much more likely to be struck and killed than women, according to data from the National Weather Service (NWS).
About 240,000 incidents regarding lightning strikes happen globally each year. Annual fatality tolls vary greatly. One estimate is that the annual global death toll is 6,000. On the other hand, according to National Geographic, annually about 2,000 people are killed worldwide by lightning.
Dr. Griggs says if a person is struck by lightning, it can cause cardiac arrest, which stops a person's body from circulating blood and cause direct injury to the brain and nervous system, preventing the brain from being able to send the appropriate signals to tell the body to continue breathing.
