According to the National Weather Service, there is an average of 87 lightning-related fatalities each year. Unfortunately, many feel that the number of deaths due to lightning is underreported by as much of 30%. If this is true, there are really 120 to 125 deaths due to lightning every year.
Of the people struck, roughly 10% die. That leaves the others struck by lightning to deal with various degrees of disability. Frequent problems associated with lightning injuries include memory loss, attention deficits, sleep disorders, numbness, and dizziness. If the strike causes the person to black out or stops the person's heart, brain damage is possible as well.
While it would seem like lightning would cause serious burn injuries, most of the time the lightning strikes do not cause substantial burns. Burns on a person's body following a lightning strike are typically caused by other objects on the victim. Rainwater, sweat, metal coins, necklaces, and other objects all heat up and burn the victim. Typically, lightning injures the nervous system. The brain, auto nervous system such as nerves, and peripheral nervous system are all injured.
There are five ways in which a person can be struck by lightning: direct strike, side splash, contact voltage, ground current, and shock. A direct strike is when a person is directly struck by the lightning bolt. The current goes directly from the cloud to the person to the ground. Side splash is when the lightning strikes something near a person and then jumps to the person. Contact Voltage involves the victim touching an object that has been struck by lightning.
Ground current strikes occur when a person stands near an object and that object spreads the voltage out along the ground. This can occur when a tree is struck and the root system distributes the charge to people standing in the area. For this reason, people are encouraged not to seek shelter under trees during storms. Shock is not a direct or indirect hit. Basically, it is the lightning bolt's shock wave injuring a victim without actually electrifying him or her.
Statistics show that men are struck four times as frequently as women. Lightning is the second most deadly form of weather after floods. It is estimated that up to half of all deaths from lightning occur on golf courses.
For more information on the hazards of lightning and other forms of weather, please visit http://www.habush.com
Joseph Devine
Lightning Hits Tree! by jdvideos Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1366262
Of the people struck, roughly 10% die. That leaves the others struck by lightning to deal with various degrees of disability. Frequent problems associated with lightning injuries include memory loss, attention deficits, sleep disorders, numbness, and dizziness. If the strike causes the person to black out or stops the person's heart, brain damage is possible as well.
While it would seem like lightning would cause serious burn injuries, most of the time the lightning strikes do not cause substantial burns. Burns on a person's body following a lightning strike are typically caused by other objects on the victim. Rainwater, sweat, metal coins, necklaces, and other objects all heat up and burn the victim. Typically, lightning injures the nervous system. The brain, auto nervous system such as nerves, and peripheral nervous system are all injured.
There are five ways in which a person can be struck by lightning: direct strike, side splash, contact voltage, ground current, and shock. A direct strike is when a person is directly struck by the lightning bolt. The current goes directly from the cloud to the person to the ground. Side splash is when the lightning strikes something near a person and then jumps to the person. Contact Voltage involves the victim touching an object that has been struck by lightning.
Ground current strikes occur when a person stands near an object and that object spreads the voltage out along the ground. This can occur when a tree is struck and the root system distributes the charge to people standing in the area. For this reason, people are encouraged not to seek shelter under trees during storms. Shock is not a direct or indirect hit. Basically, it is the lightning bolt's shock wave injuring a victim without actually electrifying him or her.
Statistics show that men are struck four times as frequently as women. Lightning is the second most deadly form of weather after floods. It is estimated that up to half of all deaths from lightning occur on golf courses.
For more information on the hazards of lightning and other forms of weather, please visit http://www.habush.com
Joseph Devine
Lightning Hits Tree! by jdvideos Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1366262
