A Deadly Spectacle

The recent news report of lightning strikes that claimed two lives in Southern Cebu once again brings to mind the lethal power of this natural spectacle. The probability of someone being hit by lightning seems to be rising. We’re hearing of more and more casualties these recent years.

And lightning strikes seem to be getting more aggressive, too. You could be hit even if you’re indoors, as reported previously of a teenage victim who was inside their shanty preparing the family’s dinner. Investigators theorize that lightning, being an electrical charge, is attracted to metal.

In the recent incident in Cebu, one fatality was said to be wearing metal dental braces. A few years back, lightning also hit a police trainee under a shed during a thunderstorm; he was holding a long firearm, which of course had metal parts. And the teenager inside their shanty had metal utensils close by when lightning struck.

It’s worrisome that we often forget the great danger that looms when the beautiful show of lights begins to flicker in the sky. It’s either we haven’t been properly cautioned of the risk or we’ve seen lighting flashes many times before and have become quite used to it. The truth is, lightning is a very dangerous force.

Of course it’s impossible to tell where lightning will fall until it hits; there is often no time to run for cover. Perhaps our best protection yet is to learn what is so far known about lightning.

The earth is struck by at least 100 flashes of lightning every second. That totals more than 8.6 million strikes a day. A regular lightning flash carries around 100 million volts of electricity and reaches a temperature of up to five times hotter than in a crematory furnace.

If you are near a lightning’s path, you could suffer injuries in several ways. You could suffer a direct hit or you could be hit by electrical splashes from a stricken object nearby. Electrical current could also travel through the ground and enter your body through your legs. Electrocution could result, too, if you touch an object that is directly hit. Injuries could range from burns, dizziness, confusion, ruptured eardrums, temporary blindness or paralysis, to amnesia or cardiac arrest.

Scientists say that lightning usually begins with concentrated negative electrical charges that collect in the lower part of storm clouds at an altitude of some 20,000 feet. These electrical charges are supposedly created by the collisions of rising ice crystals and falling hailstones. The clash of temperatures between the clouds and the ground below all the more contributes to the sparks. When the lightning sparks heat the air so much, thunder explodes.

It is advisable to seek cover at the first sound of thunder or if the sky suddenly darkens. Lightning may strike even if it’s not raining. The best place to go for shelter is a big building or any sizeable structure, if possible.

If you can’t help being outdoors and the weather is bad, keep away from isolated, tall trees and open places. Stay clear of swamps or potholes of water. If you’re in a group, avoid clustering together; electrical current can pass from one person to another even if they’re not touching. Stay clear of metal objects, especially standing poles and fences; they are good conductors.

To this day there are continuing studies to unravel the mystery surrounding lightning. Experts admit that our understanding of this spectacular phenomenon is still not very substantial. In the meantime, every one of us faces the risk of a lightning strike.

Incidentally, lightning has its good side too. It is believed that human beings discovered fire from some early lightning-sparked blazes. Lightning also helps create ozone, which is our protection from the ultraviolet rays of the sun. Thunderstorms, characterized by fierce lightning flurries, also contribute to the creation of fixed nitrogen, a natural fertilizing substance for plants when carried to the ground by rain.

Nature has a tricky quirk: its most fantastic forces are also the deadliest. Lightning dancing across the sky is a sight to be enjoyed and marveled at – but only from a safe distance. It is always wise to take precautions. (E-MAIL: [email protected])