More than 75,000 lightning strikes hit Sydney on Monday and four people were hospitalised with lightning burns during a severe storm that knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses.
The storm, which arrived just after midday, brought 57mm of rain to Sydney and an electrical storm that caused tens of thousands of lightning strikes. The strikes cut power to some supermarkets and businesses and three homes were set on fire.
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No one was injured at the alight homes in Bronte, Baulkham Hills and Sylvania, but Fire and Rescue superintendent Adam Dewberry said on Monday the scenes could have been much worse.
“I mean, you’ve just got to see that lightning come out of the sky and hit the ground, a lot of energy in there and a lot of heat causing us problems this afternoon,” he said.
However, four people were left unconscious after lightning struck a tree in Sydney’s Botanic Gardens under which the group was sheltering at around 1pm.
A teenage man, a woman in her 20s, and a man and woman in their 30s were knocked unconscious by the strike. Six ambulances, including intensive care specialists, treated the group at the scene before taking them to hospital.
“They all had a brief loss of consciousness,” NSW Ambulance Inspector Dominic Wong told reporters.
“Paramedics treated all four patients, they were sustaining injuries from burns as well presenting with cardiac symptoms.”
What happens if a person gets struck by lightning?
There are four different kinds of lightning strikes, all of which can be fatal.
Direct strike: Lightning strikes a person.
Contact strike: Lightning strikes an object, like a tree, that a person is touching and the electrical force is transferred through contact.
Side splash: Lightning hits an object but then jumps and hits a secondary target – a person. This is common for people taking shelter under trees or other structures.
Ground current: Lightning strikes the ground and the current, which spreads out in a circle from the site of impact, comes in contact with a person. Wet soil is the most conductive and can cause the electrical current to spread farther.
What are the symptoms of a lightning strike?
The most common lightning strike symptom or injury is loss of consciousness, which happens immediately after. Other common lightning strike injuries include confusion, seizures, muscle pain, hearing loss, eye damage and burns.
In the worst cases, lightning strike can send a person into immediate cardiac arrest which can result in death.
Another common injury is keraunoparalysis – a form of temporary paralysis only caused by lightning strikes.
What does it feel like to be struck by lightning?
VICE asked several lightning strike victims about their experiences and all were quite different, from extreme pain, to blinding light, to paralysis and disorientation.
Can you avoid getting struck by lightning?
The majority of lightning strikes happen to people outdoors during a storm. Sheltering under a tree or pole or undercover can in fact increase your chances of getting hit, so the best thing to do is go indoors.
If you can’t get inside – ie in an actual building – try to seek lower ground and avoid bodies of water and any wet metal objects.
Aleksandra Bliszczyk is the Deputy Editor of VICE Australia. Follow her on Instagram.
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