Most of us would have probably heard about the 5 youths who were struck down by lightning at USJ 6 basketball court last Sunday evening at 5:30pm, of which one of them was killed. The deceased, a 20-year-old man from USJ2 was the only son amongst the siblings in his family.
In spite of this recent tragedy, it is shocking to see scores of children up and about at our own 3/1 Padang even when it is evident with the sound of thunder and flashes of lightning across the sky. Lightning in open fields kills more people than any other outdoor place.
With the school holidays on, parents should take heed to be attentive and advise their children of the apparent danger of being out in the open during this rainy season.
Here are some things you will want to advise your loved ones, to minimize risks if they're caught in the open during a thunderstorm:
a. Avoid being the tallest object around .. get as low as you can, but don't lie prone on the ground.
b. It also is unwise to be near the tallest object around, like an isolated tree. Sheltering from the rain under a tree is often a factor in people being struck.
c. There is no "warning sign" that will tell you reliably that lightning is about to strike; don't depend on having your hair stand on end, or whatever.
d. The time from the flash to the thunder is a rough measure of how distant the lightning is. If you see a flash and count the seconds, five seconds corresponds to about a mile. However, there is no distance from a thunderstorm that is absolutely safe! If you can see the lightning, then you are under some threat.
e. You do not have to be directly hit by the lightning to be affected. Lightning can travel along the ground from a nearby strike to you. It can also jump from nearby objects that are struck.
f. Avoid being near fence lines and power lines that lead into areas where lightning is occurring. A flash can travel along the wires and jump to you.
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