Nature tirelessly amazes humanity with amazing phenomena and extraordinary creatures. But along with the sun and the rainbow there are a number of dangerous and even deadly things for humans. The consequences of a lightning strike can be very diverse, ranging from a small ornate scratch to a fatal outcome.
What is lightning
Lightning is a natural discharge of electricity that occurs in the lower atmosphere of the earth. The first who came to this theory is the scientist and famous politician B. Franklin. In 1752, Benjamin had an interesting experience. To do this, he tied a kite to a rope, to which he attached a metal key. Having launched popular children's fun during a thunderstorm, he received sparks from the key. It was from this time that lightning began to be actively studied as an amazing natural phenomenon, and also due to the fact that they quite seriously damaged the power lines of houses and other buildings. According to the theory, discharges of electricity are generated between adjacent electrified blocks or between one electrified cloud and the earth. As a result, the accumulated atmospheric electricity and is looking for a way out. A lightning strike occurs very quickly, since the discharge reaches the earth at a crazy speed - in millionths of a second.
Multiple zippers
Among other things, there is multiple lightning. This is the same common occurrence, according to experts, is also more frequent. Such lightning can have up to 40 discharges with a barely noticeable interval of a fraction of a second. The human eye is not able to see such a phenomenon, therefore, numerous strokes can be detected only with the help of a photographic recorder. When viewing frame-by-frame shooting, breaks between the digits are noticeable.
Lightning strike in person
American scientists have conducted a number of studies, during which they received fairly clear data. In the United States, lightning occurs approximately 25 million times a year, mainly in the summer months. They also found that natural discharges quite rarely fall into people, but, nevertheless, they pose a huge danger to humans. According to the latest data, over 12 people die from a lightning strike in 12 months, and about three hundred suffer, the consequences of a lightning strike are to blame. In most cases, all of these injuries could have been avoided if the simplest safety measures were followed.
What happens when lightning strikes a person
There are cases in history when people survived after meeting with lightning, and for some it was remembered for only a few scars and stress.
In most situations, injuries are incompatible with life or a person becomes disabled forever. The greatest danger is that a lightning strike leads to damage to internal organs, and the external integument at the same time looks absolutely normal, without visible burns and wounds. The man believes that he escaped with fear and does not turn in time to the doctors for help. At this time, the damaged organs in the body begin to become inflamed and bleed, which ultimately leads to internal bleeding and death.
A stroke can cause:
- vision loss;
- cramps
- paralysis;
- hearing loss;
- cardiac arrest.
The consequences of a lightning strike can be unpredictable and lasting. These include:
- Cataract (after a discharge injury, this disease can manifest itself in a few months, so you should go to a doctor immediately after an injury to check your eyesight).
- Severe sleep disorder.
- Persistent headache.
- Memory problems.
- Irritability and loss of quick thinking.
- Muscle cramps.
- Strong pain in the eyes.
Such long-term consequences of a lightning strike may not occur immediately, but this does not reduce their danger.
How to avoid a lightning strike
There is an opinion - if lightning strikes far, there is nothing to fear. This is actually not the case. In reality, it can strike 15 km from where it actually rains. Even if you only hear a thunderstorm, but do not see any signs of lightning, you nevertheless run the risk of being hit by a current discharge.
What to do to avoid a lightning strike? First of all, make sure to always know the weather forecast and not go outside at dangerous times. Do not hide from thunder and lightning under trees, and also avoid tall or freestanding objects. It is also not recommended to be near water during such bad weather.
If you do get caught in a thunderstorm, try to get away from it as soon as possible. The building must be equipped with a grounded electrical wiring. If it so happens that there are no houses nearby, or at least a canopy under which you could hide, you can use a car for this purpose. But try not to touch its metal parts. If you are at home, it is best to turn off all electrical appliances, do not use a fireplace, TV, computer or other power tools, also do not talk on the phone. During bad weather, it is recommended to turn off your cell phone. Before going out after a thunderstorm, it is recommended to wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning. According to statistics, the consequences of a lightning strike are the cause of non-compliance with basic precautions.
Can a person survive after a lightning strike
From time immemorial, people have been afraid of lightning for no reason, because in most cases a person dies. Despite such statistics, there are cases when, with a strong blow, some still managed to survive. This happens if a lightning bolt has passed through the entire body without affecting vital organs. And also among the lucky ones were those people who have an individual increased resistance to the body. The discharge of current into a person refers to emergency situations. And the consequences of a lightning strike are more than serious. It is as a result of such a natural disaster that a huge number of deaths are recorded. If we compare lightning with a household electric shock, it turns out that celestial discharge is several times stronger than usual, but the consequences are almost the same.
How to protect yourself from direct lightning strikes on water
Everyone knows that water is the perfect conductor for electricity. When lightning strikes a pond, the affected area is about a hundred meters around the site of impact. That is why it is not recommended to swim during lightning, as well as relax next to the water. If you stay away from potentially dangerous places, you will never know what are the consequences of a lightning strike on a person. But if you are fishing at this moment or you do not have the opportunity to get out of the water, then there is a chance to stay alive. The fact is that wet clothing, in contact with lightning, repels it. Nevertheless, it is necessary to leave the water as soon as possible.
Trees
Hiding under the trees is usually prohibited. This is understandable, because lightning always hits the highest point, but in fact you can hide under them and not know what the consequences of a lightning strike are, just follow some rules. As a rule, lightning gets into conifers, such as pine, spruce. Also, poplars and oaks most often become victims of this element. Based on this, we conclude that it is quite possible to hide from lightning under a low tree, which will not be coniferous. If you are in the forest, there is a possibility that even if lightning does not hit exactly the tree you are under, it can strike the plant that is next to you. Since the blow is quite strong, the branches and pieces of wood are scattered to the sides with great speed. One of these fragments can easily fly off into a person. Such consequences after a lightning strike are much less common, but still there are.
Also, in no case should not run. Despite the fact that this is a completely understandable human reaction to any danger, in this case it can play a cruel joke. According to studies, moving targets are most often struck by lightning. Therefore, if you are riding a bicycle, just jogging or trying to escape from a thunderstorm, it is better to stop and wait out the weather in a quiet place. This way you will increase your chances of survival. Also, do not use a cell phone, as discharges from it can attract the elements. Do not stand near power lines, as you know, any electricity attracts lightning. Also, do not make a fire, since heated air has a large discharge conductivity. Metal is also an optimal conductor, so during a thunderstorm it is better to remove any metal objects that are on you. It can be watches, chains, rings, etc.
First aid
The places of lightning strike and the consequences of a direct strike can be very diverse, so you need to act as soon as possible. If a person was struck by lightning, and he lost consciousness, first check for a pulse. Do not be afraid to touch the victim, as there is no longer any charge in his body. If you do not find a pulse, you must urgently pull his tongue out of his mouth so that a person does not accidentally choke and suffocate. Next, you need to clean the oral cavity and make artificial mouth-to-mouth breathing. Of course, first of all, you need to immediately call an ambulance or deliver the victim to the hospital yourself. Every second can be counted. If he has a pulse and no visible damage is observed, he still needs to be taken to a hospital. As mentioned earlier, despite the fact that everything is in order outwardly, the internal organs of the injured person can be damaged, and only after examination by a doctor will it be possible to say exactly what the real damage and other consequences of the effects of lightning on a person are.
Some interesting facts
Of course, if lightning struck the head, then the person’s chance of survival is zero. In this case, the eyeballs literally explode, and the victim instantly dies. In some well-known cases, people fell into a coma and so did not leave it. If lightning strikes in other parts of the body, then basically it leaves an ornate intricate pattern on the victim’s body, which in itself resembles lightning or a tree. In ancient times, such people were considered labeled by God, and the dead were buried with honors.
