Lightning Strikes: Surviving the Storm

0:00In Adelaide, it's February 27th, and here's what is going on. A massive storm brought 10,000 lightning strikes the Perth, sending three people to the hospital and killing a beloved pet dog. The wild weather hit hard with direct and indirect strikes causing serious injuries in suburban areas. 78-year-old Michael Day was walking his daughter's dog, Messi, when lightning shredded his clothes and burned his thigh and abdomen. Tragically, Messi did not survive. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Georgia Rizzy and a friend at a school in Mount Helena felt their hair stand on end before a strike hit nearby, leaving. Them with tingling and numbness, the victim's families express huge relief that the people pull through, though heartbroken over the dog. Lightning expert Grant Kirby called all three very lucky, noting direct hits on people are rare, but ground currents can be deadly. Kirby explained how strikes energize the ground, sending electricity through nearby objects and people, be it something called ground potential rise, or upward streamers that draw

1:04current to potential targets. For safety, he urges getting indoors first. If stuck outside, avoid trees and umbrellas, crouch low with feet together, seek a freeway overpass, and wear rubber-sold shoes for some protection. This story is shared with support from our sponsor. No ear buds, no headbands, no awkward sleeping positions, just a pillow that plays your sound. S-O-L-I.