Lightning strikes often. Consequences of lightning striking a person. Facts and fictions. How to protect yourself from a direct lightning strike on water

If we explain without abstruse physical terms, then lightning always strikes the highest object. Because lightning is an electrical discharge, and it travels along the path of least resistance. That is why he will first hit the tallest tree in the field and the tallest building in the city. For example, lightning strikes the Ostankino TV tower about 50 times a year!

The length of lightning can be up to 20 km, and its diameter can be from 10 to 45 cm. Lightning “lives” tenths of a second, and its average speed is 150 km/s. In this case, the current strength in lightning reaches 200,000 A.

What to do if lightning catches you in an open area

• Do not hide under tall trees, especially single ones. The most dangerous trees in this case are deciduous trees, such as oak and poplar. But lightning strikes coniferous trees much less often, because they contain essential oils that have electrical resistance (by the way, linden, walnut and beech are also in the safety zone, they also contain oils). In this case, getting into bushes or low thickets is extremely unlikely.
• In open space, it is best to hide in a hole or trench. In this case, do not lie down on the ground under any circumstances: it is better to sit down, bending your head slightly so that it is not higher than surrounding objects. Keep your legs together to reduce the area of ​​possible damage.
• Don't run. The air current you create while running can attract ball lightning.
• Fold your umbrella and turn off your mobile phone, and also get rid of other metal objects: place them at a safe distance (at least 15 m).
• If there are two or three of you, everyone should find a separate shelter for themselves, since our body is an excellent conductor for discharge.
• Do not swim in bodies of water during a thunderstorm. If bad weather takes you by surprise, do not run out of the water or wave your arms. Calmly and slowly exit the pond.
• If you are in the mountains, avoid sharp ledges and elevations.

How to Know When Lightning Is About to Strike

If you are in an open area and suddenly feel that your hair is standing on end, and your skin is slightly tingling, or you feel a vibration coming from objects, this means that it is about to boom.

Such sensations appear 3-4 seconds before a lightning strike. Immediately bend forward, placing your hands on your knees (never on the ground!), with your heels close to each other so that the shock does not pass through your body.

What to do if you are indoors during a thunderstorm

• Close the vents, windows and doors.
• Unplug electrical appliances.
• Move away from windows and metal objects.
• If you need to make an urgent call, make it immediately after the lightning strike - and quickly.

What happens if lightning strikes a person

When a person is struck by lightning, the discharge causes general disturbances. Burns or wood-like red streaks may form where the lightning entered and exited. If the lesion was weak, tinnitus and general weakness appear.

But with severe damage, a person may faint, his body temperature drops sharply, his heartbeat slows down, and his breathing may stop. But the victim can still be saved in time.

Is it possible to survive being struck by lightning?

Yes. Firstly, despite the high temperature during the discharge, the impact does not last long and does not always even lead to serious burns.

Secondly, the main current often passes along the surface of the body, so in most cases a lightning strike is not fatal. According to various estimates, death occurs in 5–10% of cases.

The likelihood of survival increases if there is a person nearby who knows how to perform artificial respiration and cardiac massage. Even if the person seems dead, be sure to try to help him. Because there is always a chance of survival!

How to provide first aid if struck by lightning

1. The victim must be placed on a hard surface.
2. If a person is lucky and just has shock (loss of speech, fainting), try to bring him out of this state. If you happen to have ammonia with you, use it. Call an ambulance.
3. If a person is unconscious and not breathing, mouth-to-mouth artificial respiration and chest compressions should be performed as soon as possible.
4. Try non-stop resuscitation. You have a maximum of 15 minutes, after which the chances of salvation in case of severe damage are extremely small.

Lightning is a beautiful and inspiring natural phenomenon, but it can also be deadly. Statistics from the last 30 years indicate that 67 people die each year from lightning strikes in the United States alone. However, most of these deaths could have been prevented. The next time you see lightning, follow these tips.

Steps

Find shelter and stay safe

Find shelter quickly. If you are caught in a thunderstorm, you can protect yourself by taking shelter in a protective structure. Although most people try to take cover when lightning is very close, some people are hesitant to seek cover. If you see lightning, it is close enough to strike you. Don't wait until it hits the ground a meter away from you (or into you) before running for cover. Never stand under a tree (high or low), or near power line supports, as both conduct current well and are extremely dangerous to life and health. Look for rocky shelter, such as a cave.

• The best option would be residential buildings (with running water, electricity and, if possible, a lightning rod).
• If there are no residential buildings nearby, hide in a car with an iron body. If lightning strikes a car, the metal casing will conduct the current. Check that all windows and doors in the car are closed. Do not lean against metal parts of the machine, otherwise the current passing through them during a lightning strike will transfer to you. Don't turn on the radio.
• Don't hide in small structures, such as free-standing public restrooms. Open shelters are also not an option. They only attract lightning and do not provide any protection.
• Under no circumstances stand under a tree. Lightning strikes tall objects, and if it strikes a tree you are standing under, the current may spread to you, or you may be injured by a falling tree or branch.
• Keep your pets safe. Dog kennels and other types of shelter for pets do not protect against lightning strikes. An animal leashed to a fence has a much higher risk of being struck by lightning.

Don't stand near windows. Close all windows and try to stay in the inner parts of the rooms. Windows provide a direct path for lightning to pass through.

Do not touch metal objects or electrical appliances. Using landline phones during thunderstorms is a leading cause of accidents in the United States. Lightning can enter a home through any material that conducts electricity, including landlines, electrical wiring, and plumbing fixtures.

• Avoid touching electrical outlets during a thunderstorm. Do not unplug devices during a thunderstorm, as electrical current may transfer to you.
• Do not lie on concrete floors or lean against concrete walls. Concrete contains metal reinforcement that can conduct electricity.
• Stay away from bathtubs and showers, and avoid indoor pools.
• While in the car, try not to touch its metal or glass parts.

Help for lightning strike victims

1. Call the rescue service. Because a lightning strike can cause cardiac arrest, a person may require resuscitation. If you cannot dial 9-1-1, ask someone else to do it.

   Help a victim who is in shock. Lay the victim on his back so that his head is slightly lower than his body. Lift his legs and hold them.

• When a thunderstorm approaches, protect electrical appliances by unplugging them in advance. Do not use landlines as lightning can travel through the wire. Do not unplug appliances during a thunderstorm, but only do this in advance.
• Do not be in small boats during a thunderstorm. However, if there is no other option to get to the shore, you should not jump into the water - stay in the boat, even if it is a sailing vessel with a mast. There is a misconception that it is safe to be in water during a thunderstorm. In fact, lightning can easily strike the water (or it can conduct an electrical discharge), and while afloat it is not advisable to lose consciousness.
• Protect your hearing by adopting the position described in this article. The sound of thunder is dangerous to your eardrums.
• Lightning travels along the ground within a radius of several meters from where it strikes, so stay away from tall, isolated objects. For the same reason, remember that a person can be injured by lightning even if you did not see it hit him.
• Lightning detection devices and thunder warning services are available at golf courses, parks, etc.
• Lightning is a common summer occurrence across much of the United States. Florida holds the record for the most lightning strikes per square kilometer per year.
• Lightning occurs not only during a thunderstorm, but can also occur during a volcanic eruption. Therefore, make sure that the volcano is dormant. The more ash you see, the greater the chance of lightning.
• Wearing electronic devices with headphones during a thunderstorm increases the likelihood of serious injury upon impact, affecting not only the ears, but also other parts of the body over which the headphone cord passes.
• Wear as much rubber as possible. Rubber is a good insulator, and when struck by lightning, it will reflect it or absorb it. Also, do not touch the metal, as lightning passes over its entire area, and if you touch it, it will transfer to you.
• Stay away from windows.

Warnings

• When looking for low-lying shelter, make sure the area will not be flooded.
• Do not watch lightning through an open window, door, or porch. Open places are not safe, even if they are in convenient shelter.
• Severe thunderstorms can (and sometimes do) cause tornadoes without any warning. Be alert to weather changes if severe thunderstorms occur in your area. Be alert even if a storm warning has not been issued.

Rarely can a person be left indifferent by the sound of thunder and flashes of lightning. The real danger posed by the formidable elements has always excited the imagination. Our distant ancestor awaited with horror the outcome of what was happening in the roaring and blazing sky, guessing the nature of the divine in the elements. But even today, at a time of triumph of science and technology, not everything is clear in the nature of the formation and manifestation of lightning.

Attracting lightning

In the old days, a person struck by lightning was buried in the ground. And thus often saved his life. Even today, sometimes they do the same to the victim, realizing that in this way the electrical discharge can be removed from the unfortunate person.

But lightning may well cause many people a feeling of confusion, powerlessness, and a sense of mystery of what is happening. They talk about such a case. It was in Japan. A group of schoolchildren, while in the mountains, were caught in a thunderstorm. In order not to get lost in bad weather, the teacher forced the children to tie themselves with a rope the way climbers do. And what? The line of guys was struck by lightning, and every third person in the line was killed. Of course, wet rope is an excellent conductor of atmospheric electricity. But why exactly every third person died? Scientists are still at a loss.

It is known that objects protruding upward attract lightning, so in the countryside it strikes crosses and domes of temples and churches, in cities - in skyscrapers and television towers, in open spaces - in isolated tall trees, under which you should never hide under in a thunderstorm. It has been noticed that in open areas, lightning most often strikes where there are accumulations of water or pipelines or ores.

Experiments conducted with mannequins with metal objects hanging on them showed that lightning passes through metal objects without hitting the mannequin. But will it be the same if the mannequin is replaced by a human? Unlike a doll, a person has the properties of an electric magnet, and therefore, by definition, is “not indifferent” to lightning.

It is known that the sorcerers of America have the art of causing lightning. It's done like this. In bad weather, the men of the tribe, at the sign of the sorcerer, gather in a strictly defined place in a large circle and begin an intricate dance with spears. The ritual dance continues until lightning strikes the center of the circle. But there is a hidden cunning in the sorcerer’s power demonstrated to the public. The tribe chooses a place rich in underground water to summon lightning. A place where lightning is sure to strike.

Lightning “loves” not only certain places, but also certain people. Faith magazine told the story of Major Summerford, who suffered from the elements in Flanders in 1918. A lightning strike threw him off his horse and paralyzed his lower body. Disabled from the army, the major went to Vancouver and in 1924 suffered another lightning attack, which paralyzed the right side of his body. Two years passed, the major recovered from the second lightning strike and even began to walk in the park. But in the summer of 1930 he was found again by a “fiery arrow”. This time my entire body was paralyzed. He died two years later. But two years after the death of the major, namely in June 1934, lightning struck the Vancouver cemetery, and its strike struck exactly the tombstone of the unfortunate man, breaking it to smithereens.

In 1950, Faith magazine told the following story. In 1899, a man was killed by lightning in the courtyard of a house in Toronto (Italy). Exactly 30 years later, his son died from a lightning strike. And on October 8, 1949, the “mysterious and terrible” strikes the grandson of the first and the son of the second unfortunate. And what’s remarkable is that lightning killed them in the same place.

Myths and facts

Although statistics tell us that death from a lightning strike is extremely rare, this danger should not be underestimated. Judging by weather forecasters, the abnormal heat may give way to showers and thunderstorms. Perhaps this is exactly the scenario awaiting our region. We offer to replenish your knowledge base with useful and interesting facts about lightning. Let's consider how true some myths about lightning are.

Myth 1: Tornadoes and hurricanes are more dangerous than lightning.

Fact: Lightning kills more people every year than tornadoes or hurricanes. Floods alone kill far more people than lightning.

Myth 2: Even at home you can be struck by lightning.

Fact: The safest place to be during a thunderstorm is probably inside your home, but that doesn't mean you don't need to take precautions.

If a building is struck by lightning, the electrical current will likely travel through the plumbing or wiring before going into the ground. Therefore, during lightning, do not talk on a wired phone, stay away from running water (do not shower, do not wash dishes and hands). Do not use a stove, computer or other appliances connected to an electrical outlet.

Myth 3: Lightning always brings down planes.

Fact: In reality, lightning regularly strikes airplanes, but rarely causes them to crash. On average, every plane is struck by lightning at least once a year. Most airplanes are made of aluminum, which is a good conductor of electricity, so airplanes have strict safety regulations.

Myth 4: You should turn off electronic devices during a thunderstorm.

Fact: Surges can damage electronics even if lightning does not strike your home. If you are unsure of the reliability of the surge protector, turn off your computer, TV, and other electronics. If you unplug appliances during a thunderstorm, there is a chance that you will be shocked, so this should be done before the storm begins.

Myth 5: It is dangerous to be in a car during a thunderstorm.

Fact: Cars are actually one of the safest places to be during a thunderstorm if you are unable to enter a building. Just make sure your car has a secure and strong roof.

Myth 6: Lightning does not strike the same place twice.

Fact: Lightning can strike the same location multiple times during a thunderstorm.

Myth 7: It’s not safe to be outside during a thunderstorm.

Fact: If you find yourself outside during a thunderstorm, try to find shelter in a grounded building or car. If this is not possible, the following tips can help minimize the risk: Avoid open spaces and tall objects (such as trees) standing alone. Stay away from water - it conducts electricity well. Do not lie on the ground - this will increase the contact area, because if lightning strikes the ground not far from you, the smaller the contact area, the less current will flow into you.

Myth 8: You need to stay home for another half hour after the storm ends.

Fact: In most cases, lightning does not strike people in the midst of a thunderstorm. According to the US National Weather Service (NWS), lightning can strike as far as 15 km from where it is raining, so if you hear thunder, you are in a lightning strike zone. The NMS advises to adhere to the following advice: “If you hear thunder, wait it out at home. It will be safe to leave the house half an hour after the thunder rumbled for the last time.”

Myth 9: You can determine the distance to a thunderstorm by counting how many seconds pass from the flash of light to the thunder.

Fact: Surprisingly, this kids' trick actually works. Light travels faster than sound, so first we see a flash of light, and then a clap of thunder. To determine the distance to a thunderstorm, you need to know the speed of sound: it moves at a speed of 1 km in three seconds.

Interesting

A typical lightning flash lasts about a quarter of a second and consists of 3-4 flashes.

There are 6,000 lightning flashes in the world every minute.

The temperature of lightning can reach more than 27 thousand degrees Celsius. This is several times hotter than the surface of the Sun!

The probability of seeing ball lightning at least once in your life is 1 in 10,000.

By striking sandy soil, lightning promotes the formation of glass. After a thunderstorm, you can find strips of glass in the sand.

Lightning is also observed on Venus, Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus.

The chance of being killed by lightning is 1 in 2,000,000. Each of us has the same chances of dying from falling out of bed.

The Greeks believed that pearls were formed when lightning struck the sea.

Read the latest news from “For Each Other” on social networks:
In contact with, Classmates, Facebook , Twitter, Instagram .

globalscience.ru, molnie.ru

Up ▲ - Reader reviews (7) - Write a review ▼ - Print version

Initially, a discharge is heard - a crack - like a shocker, only much louder - but this is only a fraction of a second, and that is heard by those near the place of the lightning strike: from flash to thunder in less than a second. I heard this crackling sound 3 times, in different years and in the same place, an open place - the bank of the Volga - I’ll tell you the sensations.... One of the unexamined reasons is the presence of highly charged air currents: various “miracles” with lightning striking objects, into which lightning, according to the laws of physics, it would seem should not strike, are quite often associated precisely with the increased electrification of air flows, which, as is known, have the lowest electrical resistance. Moreover, the thickness of these flows can be only half a meter (!!!)

And here in Yaposhka there are earthquakes. They are no better than a thunderstorm

I got a lightning bomb like I don’t know where!(

Deaths from lightning strikes. Scientists are investigating the causes and conditions of their occurrence, developing tactics of behavior during a thunderstorm. However, lightning statistics still record a high degree of injury and mortality from electrical discharges.

How a discharge is formed

Lightning is a powerful discharge of electricity that is usually formed during a thunderstorm, accompanied by thunder and manifests itself as a bright flash. The power of lightning reaches from 10 to 500 thousand amperes, and the voltage ranges from 10 million to 1 billion volts. Such a discharge causes serious harm, even death of the victim. Lightning statistics provide information about 2,000 thunderstorm events occurring daily around the world.

The nature of lightning is cloud vapor from water that cools and solidifies into ice crystals. Air currents lift small pieces of ice upward and collide them with larger formations that tend to settle below. The collision process is accompanied by the release of electrical discharges - from small elements “+”, and from large pieces of ice “-”. With a large accumulation, an area with an increased level of ion concentration is formed.

When the difference between charged particles becomes large, a lightning strike occurs in the cloud. Increased concentrations of ions occur in cumulus or stratus rain clouds, eruptions, tornadoes, and desert storms.

A variety of natural elements

Lightning statistics describe several different strikes, which are distinguished by how they strike and where they strike. Known types of lightning:

1. Linear. The rumble on the sky looks like an upside-down tree with a main channel and short branches. The discharge length is at least 20 km. The impact force is about 20 thousand amperes. The discharge speed reaches 148–150 km/h.
2. Pearl. It is a continuation of the linear discharge. However, such lightning in the sky looks like precious beads located at a certain distance from each other. Such manifestations are extremely rare. There are no statistics on deaths from discharges of this type.
3. Lightning inside a cloud. Discharges are accompanied by changes in magnetic and electric fields and radio wave radiation. Can such lightning strike an airplane? Yes, if it is electrified. If a discharge hits the board, this can happen. Such discharges are usually found closer to the equator.
4. Lightning on the ground. The discharge is formed in several stages. Lightning statistics show that the main reason for their formation is the rapid ionization of air. The particles pick up speed due to the action of the electric field and collide with air currents, creating streamers - avalanches of electrons. They form a thermally insulated discharge that reaches the surface, bypassing various obstacles at a speed of 50 thousand km/sec. After completing the entire path, the discharge light dims. The second stage consists of repeating the trajectory. The final discharge will be the brightest and strongest. The electrical formation channel has a temperature of 25 thousand degrees. The consequences of a lightning strike are very destructive due to its duration.
5. Ball lightning. She dangerous due to its unpredictability. What does ball lightning look like? Some say it is white or yellow, even bright green, while others say it has a black tint. It appears due to a large accumulation of energy in the cloud and may be a continuation of the initial electrical discharge. Death statistics There is no investigation against ball lightning in Russia.
6. Lightning sprite. It was opened at the end of the 80s. It varies in height from 50 to 128 km and in diameter up to 100 km. A flash of electrical discharge looks like a column of light located vertically. Often appears in a group and is red in color.

If the color of the electrical discharges is different, then the smell of lightning is the same. There is a sulfur and ozone aroma in the air.

Why does lightning flash? Due to the high voltage between the ions, a mini explosion occurs. As a result, the discharge is illuminated from the inside.

What are the statistics of lightning striking a person? Every year, data is received about injuries to 240 thousand people.

Manifestation methods

The formation of a discharge is always accompanied by a sound effect. Lightning without thunder physically cannot exist. Sometimes in nature you can observe lightning - when a thundercloud is at a great distance from the ground and the sound simply does not reach.

Lightning strike statistics reports that the probability of human injury is 1: 600 thousand.

Degree of damage

There are four degrees of severity:

1. Average. It manifests itself as short-term convulsions, with respiratory and cardiac disturbances, but without loss of consciousness. If lightning strikes a person, deep burns and muscle tears remain on his body.
2. Heavy. Manifested by strong convulsive contractions, loss of consciousness, impaired cardiac and respiratory function.
3. Very heavy. Manifested by loss of consciousness and requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
4. Immediate death.

The statistics of deaths from lightning strikes is disappointing. According to the National Weather Service, men died in 80% of cases. Most cases involve people being on the water while a thunderstorm was raging.

Can lightning strike a person hiding under a tree? Yes, trees attract electricity.

Actions in an emergency

What to do if a person is struck by lightning? It is necessary to call an ambulance and perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Later, doctors will carry out a set of rescue measures. If necessary, they will intubate the trachea, provide an oxygen mask, administer intravenous sedatives (diazepam, morphine or ketamine), and apply a bandage to the burns.

Are there any known cases of human survival? Statistics on lightning strikes to humans recorded an American ranger who survived seven direct hits.

No one still knows why lightning strikes a person. If the discharge hits the head, the person dies immediately. After damage to other parts of the body, strangely shaped scars usually remain.

Lightning in Russia recorded instant deaths of people who used mobile phones during a thunderstorm. According to unofficial data, about 550 people die annually in Russia.

Doesn't hit the same place twice

A beautiful natural phenomenon can be dangerous not only in open space, but also in a residential building. When there is thunder and lightning outside, it's time to think about your own safety.

Can lightning strike through a window? If it's closed, it can't. Entry into the house occurs through electrical communications and ventilation openings. Sometimes a small draft is enough for ball lightning to fly into the house. It is impossible to predict how she will behave.

What to do in case of lightning? You must not approach her or turn your back. If possible, you need to move away from the flight path. It is also prohibited to throw any objects at it.

Can lightning strike a car? If it moves, a direct hit is possible.

Lightning statistics show that thunderstorms most often occur in rural areas where there are a large number of tall trees and houses. from lightning usually occurs during a direct hit.

The best protection against lightning is sheltering in place with little contact with the ground. It is advisable to use insulating materials such as stone, tent or backpack. We need to get away from trees and tall metal structures. You should install a lightning rod on your home and do not use household appliances during a thunderstorm.

Thunderstorms in summer are a common and dangerous phenomenon. You need to know how to protect yourself during a thunderstorm, what to do to avoid being struck by lightning, how to escape from ball lightning, where lightning strikes... The Main Directorate of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations for the Tambov Region strongly recommends remembering two basic rules of behavior during a thunderstorm: avoid open areas and avoid water.

When powerful cumulonimbus and tower-shaped clouds form at any point on the horizon of a thunderstorm front, you should carefully monitor the development of cloudiness. It must be remembered that the wind does not give a correct idea of ​​the direction of movement of a thunderstorm. Thunderstorms often go against the wind!

The distance to an approaching thunderstorm can be determined by counting the seconds separating the flash of lightning and the sound of the first clap of thunder:

• a second pause means that a thunderstorm is at a distance of 300-400 m,
• three second - 1 km,
• four-second - 1.3 km, etc.

Thunderstorms are one of the most dangerous natural phenomena for humans.. An instant lightning strike can cause paralysis, deep loss of consciousness, respiratory and cardiac arrest. When struck by lightning, specific burns remain on the body of the victim in the form of reddish stripes and burns with blisters. To avoid being struck by lightning, you need to know and follow some rules of conduct during a thunderstorm.

What is lightning

Lightning is a high voltage electrical discharge, enormous current, high power and very high temperature, occurring in nature. Electrical discharges that occur between cumulus clouds or between a cloud and the ground are accompanied by thunder, heavy rain, often hail and heavy winds. There are many varieties of lightning. In the middle zone, the most common are linear and ball lightning. They differ in appearance, but are equally dangerous to humans.

What to do during a thunderstorm

Summer thunderstorms are a common occurrence, but not everyone knows how to protect yourself during a thunderstorm, what to do to avoid being struck by lightning.

Employees of the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations in the Tambov region give a number of simple tips, what to do during a thunderstorm:

• Firstly, during a thunderstorm you should avoid open areas. Lightning, as you know, strikes the highest point; a lonely person in a field is that very point. If for some reason you are left alone in a field with a thunderstorm, hide in any possible depression: a ditch, hollow or the lowest place in the field, squat down and bend your head, rescuers advise.
• Secondly, during thunderstorms, avoid water, since it is an excellent current conductor. A lightning strike spreads around a body of water within a radius of 100 meters. It often hits the banks. Therefore, during a thunderstorm, it is necessary to move away from the shore; you cannot swim or fish.
• It is very dangerous to talk on a cell phone during a thunderstorm.. It is best to turn off your cell phones during a thunderstorm. There have been cases when an incoming call was caused by lightning.
• During a thunderstorm, it is advisable to get rid of metal objects. Watches, chains, and even an umbrella open over your head are potential targets for a strike. There are known cases of lightning striking a bunch of keys in a pocket.

To avoid being struck by lightning if you are in the forest

Lightning in a forest almost never strikes the ground, with the exception of clearings, because trees are natural lightning rods, and the probability of lightning hitting a particular tree is directly proportional to its height. Therefore, stay away from tall trees. The smartest option is to sit between low-growing trees with dense crowns. At the same time, determine the approximate height of the trees you have chosen and try to be located from them at a distance not exceeding this height. Let’s say that the height of the trees is approximately 4-5 meters; accordingly, you need to place them between them so that each tree is at least 4-5 meters away. This is called the "cone of protection". It is better to sit in the so-called “fetal position” - the back is bent, the head is lowered on the legs and forearms bent at the knees, the feet are joined together.

1. That lightning most often strikes oaks, poplars, and elms.
2. Less often, lightning strikes spruce and pine.
3. Very rarely, lightning strikes birch and maple trees.

During a thunderstorm in the forest you cannot: choose shelter under tall trees or near trees previously struck by a thunderstorm, splintered (the abundance of trees struck by lightning indicates that the soil in this area has high electrical conductivity, and a lightning strike in this area of ​​​​the terrain is very likely), you cannot put up tents in the open, sit near burning fire (smoke is a good conductor of electricity).

To avoid being struck by lightning if you are in a field

At the first signs of an approaching thunderstorm, you must: move as quickly as possible towards the nearest reliable shelter (forest, village), moving away from isolated trees or groves at the same time. If a free-standing tree is located on your way to the village, you should not go there. The priority is to move away from possible discharge zones. You need to move away at least 150-200 m. With the onset of a thunderstorm, if you still haven’t reached the shelter: you need to sit down as low as possible, and when the thunderstorm comes very close, lie down on the ground. And lie quietly, humbly, motionless. It should be remembered that sandy and rocky soils are safer than clay soils. And don’t rush to move when the thunderstorm starts to go away - wait 20-30 minutes after the last lightning strikes.

During a thunderstorm, you must not: move, especially walk straight; hiding in haystacks, under lonely trees or islands of trees, especially touching them with your hands and other parts of the body. Human psychology is such that in the big and powerful he tends to see protection. During a thunderstorm, the opposite law works: the smaller you are, the greater your chances of not getting discharged. Therefore, we avoid the trees.

To avoid being struck by lightning if you are near a body of water

If a thunderstorm approaches, immediately leave the body of water and go as far from the shoreline as possible. When a thunderstorm approaches, a person on a boat must immediately moor to the shore. If this is not possible, drain the boat, change into dry clothes, if available, raise the protective awning, put a life jacket, boots, equipment, etc. under you. electrically insulating items, cover with polyethylene so that rainwater flows overboard, not into the watercraft, but the polyethylene should not come into contact with water!

During a thunderstorm, you must not: climb into the water, hide in floodplain bushes and under trees.

To avoid being struck by lightning if you are in the mountains

In mountainous areas, when a thunderstorm approaches, you should try to descend from high places - ridges, hills, passes, peaks, etc. It is dangerous to be near watercourses (cracks, gutters, etc.), since during a thunderstorm even small cracks filled with water become a conductor for the flow of electricity. It is best to stop near a high vertical plumb line (“finger”). In this case, the height of the plumb line must be at least 5-6 times greater than the height of the person; accordingly, the safety zone will be equal to the height of the plumb line measured in the horizontal plane. However, you cannot get closer than 2 m to the wall. You can hide in natural niches-caves in the slope, but also no closer than 2 m from the wall. Collect metal objects - climbing pitons, ice axes, saucepans - in a backpack and lower them on a rope 20-30 m down the slope.

During a thunderstorm in the mountains you cannot: lean or touch rocks, steep walls when moving or resting, or hide under rocky overhangs.

To avoid being struck by lightning if you are in a car

The machine protects the people inside quite well, since even when struck by lightning, the discharge occurs on the surface of the metal. Therefore, if a thunderstorm finds you in your car, close the windows, turn off the radio, cell phone and GPS navigator. Do not touch door handles or other metal parts.

To avoid being struck by lightning if you are on a motorcycle

A bicycle and a motorcycle, unlike a car, will not save you from a thunderstorm. It is necessary to dismount, lay down the vehicle and move to a distance of approximately 30 m from it.

If you are in a country house or garden during a thunderstorm, you should:

• Close doors and windows and eliminate drafts.
• Do not light the stove, close the chimney, since the smoke coming out of the chimney has high electrical conductivity and can attract an electric discharge.
• Turn off the TV, radio, electrical appliances, and disconnect the antenna.
• Turn off communication devices: laptop, mobile phone.
• You should not be near a window or in the attic, or near massive metal objects.
• Do not be in open areas, near metal structures or power lines.
• Do not touch anything wet, iron or electrical.
• Remove all metal jewelry (chains, rings, earrings) and put it in a leather or plastic bag.
• Do not open your umbrella over yourself.
• Under no circumstances should you seek shelter under large trees.
• It is not advisable to be near a fire.
• Stay away from wire fences.
• Do not go out to remove clothes drying on the lines, as they also conduct electricity.
• Do not ride a bicycle or motorcycle.
• Do not swim, move away from the pond.
• It is very dangerous to talk on a mobile phone during a thunderstorm; it must be turned off.
• A thunderstorm usually hits the highest point along its path. A lonely man in a field is that very high point. It’s even worse to be on a lonely hill in a thunderstorm! If for some reason you are left alone in a field with a thunderstorm, hide in any possible depression: a ditch, hollow or the lowest place in the field, squat down and bend your head. Lying on wet ground during a thunderstorm is not recommended.
• Never try to hide under a lonely tree.
• During a thunderstorm, do not swim, fish, or stay near bodies of water.

If there is a thunderstorm outside:

How to escape from ball lightning

If you are at home during a thunderstorm or in any room, you should not be near batteries, windows, electrical appliances, antennas, wires and metal objects. Windows, doors, chimneys and vents must be closed to avoid drafts that attract ball lightning.

Ball lightning looks like a freely floating horizontally or chaotically glowing ball with a diameter of several centimeters to several meters. Ball lightning can exist from a few seconds to three tens of seconds. It has great destructive power, causing fires, severe burns and sometimes death of humans or animals. It appears unpredictably and also disappears unexpectedly. Penetrates even into a closed room through a switch, socket, pipe, or keyhole.

Remember, if you witness a phenomenon such as ball lightning, try not to move or run away from it. Lightning is attracted to moving, tall, metal and wet objects. If ball lightning flies into the room, you need to slowly, holding your breath, leave the room. If this is not possible, you need to stand without moving. After 10-100 seconds, she will go around you and disappear. Ball lightning can appear without causing harm to a person or premises, but it can explode, and the resulting air wave can injure a person. Ball lightning has a temperature of about 5000° C and can cause a fire.

Help for a lightning strike victim

To provide first aid to a person struck by lightning, it should be immediately moved to a safe place. Touching the victim is not dangerous; no charge remains in his body. Even if it seems that the defeat is fatal, it may actually not be so.

If a lightning victim is unconscious, lay him on his back and turn his head to the side so that his tongue does not stick into the airway. It is necessary, without stopping for a minute, to perform artificial respiration and cardiac massage until medical help arrives.

If these actions helped and the person shows signs of life, before the doctors arrive, give the victim 2-3 tablets of analgin, and place a wet, cold cloth folded in several layers on the head. If there are burns, they must be poured with plenty of water, the burned clothing should be removed, and then the affected area should be covered with a clean dressing. When transporting the injured person to the nearest medical facility, he must be placed on a stretcher and his well-being must be constantly monitored.

For relatively mild lightning injuries give the victim any painkiller (analgin, tempalgin, etc.) and a sedative (tincture of valerian, corvalol, etc.)

It’s embarrassing to admit, but most people experience an inexplicable superstitious fear of thunderstorms, just like our primitive ancestors. When you see lightning, your first instinct is to run and hide under the bed. “Znamenka” asked 10 naive questions about thunderstorms and lightning to the head of the laboratory of atmospheric physics at the National Research Center for Ozonosphere Monitoring of the Belarusian State University, Alexander Lyudchik. And many of his answers were unexpected.

1. Can lightning kill a person?

- Easily. The current strength in a lightning discharge is 10–20 thousand amperes. (For comparison, a working iron only needs 6 amps). With such a discharge, all the proteins in the body coagulate - and the person dies, one might say that he is boiled alive. At my dacha there was a tree that suffered from a lightning strike: the liquid between the bark and the wood instantly turned into steam, and all the bark was torn off the trunk.

2. Where is it safer during a thunderstorm: in the forest or in the field?

– As you know, lightning always looks for the shortest path and therefore chooses the highest objects. In this regard, the forest is a good place to hide, because there are many lightning rods - trees that are ready to take the blow. And in the field, the tallest object is you, so during a thunderstorm you must lie on the ground or squat down. But, of course, the safest thing to do is wait out the bad weather at home or in the car. The car has a metal body, so even if lightning strikes it, the charge will “drain” into the ground and people will remain alive. In essence, the body acts as a Faraday cage, preventing the discharge from penetrating inside.

3. What happens if lightning strikes a plane?

– This happens quite often, and in most cases it does not affect the aircraft in any way. Just like in the situation with a car.

4. Why unplug the refrigerator and TV during a thunderstorm?

– Lightning strikes often strike power lines, causing voltage surges. The devices cannot withstand this and burn out.

5. Can lightning strike an umbrella?

– If you are in a city, this is unlikely: there are many tall buildings that lightning will strike with much greater pleasure. But if you are walking through a field, it is better to fold your umbrella and lie on the ground.

6. Is it possible to talk on a mobile phone during a thunderstorm? Many are sure that it is impossible.

– I think it’s possible. The phone's radiation is extremely small, and it is unable to significantly increase the electrical conductivity of the air around it and attract lightning.

7. Do I need to remove my piercing during a thunderstorm? After all, earrings are metal, and lightning loves metal.

- No need. The tiny decoration doesn't matter.

8. They say that scientists still have not understood what ball lightning is.

– It’s true: there are many hypotheses, but still no one knows exactly what it consists of and why it arises. There is a chemical theory. According to it, ball lightning is a gas combustion reaction. There are plasma theories, supposedly lightning is a plasma clot. But there is no exact answer.

9. Why can’t you run away from ball lightning?

– According to one version, it moves thanks to air currents. If you rush towards the door, a vortex of air will form near you, and lightning will “run” after you. Therefore, it is better to stand still and wait for it to fly away. And if you move, then slowly and smoothly.

10. According to popular belief, a person struck by lightning must be buried in the sand so that the discharge goes into the ground. It makes sense?

- None. The discharge instantly goes into the ground - this happens in hundredths of a second. The best thing you can do is call an ambulance as soon as possible.

Roll the ball

It turns out that ball lightning is not such a rare phenomenon. “Znamenka” tracked down the Belarusians who had a chance to meet her face to face.

It was like an explosion

Gomel resident Irina Napalkova encountered lightning in her distant childhood, but still remembers it:

– I was seven or eight years old. My grandmother and I were going to the bathhouse, and she decided to comb her hair. And to have a better view, I sat down by the window. There was a thunderstorm starting outside. I wanted to approach her, but I didn’t have time - there was an explosion and the room was filled with smoke. Having been brought up on books and films about war, I thought it was a bomb. But then we realized that it was lightning: it flew through the chimney, passed through the door leading to the cellar, and disappeared into the basement.

Despite what happened, Irina is not afraid of thunderstorms:

– True, if I hear thunder, I try not to comb my hair or sew - I believe that metal objects can attract lightning.

Since that very meeting, the heroine has not developed any psychic abilities.

– My intuition is really good, but I don’t connect it with lightning in any way.

I didn’t even have time to get scared

Minsk resident Alexandra Isakova, at that time a seven-year-old schoolgirl, was vacationing in a village with her grandmother not far from Bobruisk.

– The thunderstorm was ending, my grandmother, aunt and I opened the windows to take a breath of fresh air. Suddenly a small ball, about 15 centimeters in diameter, flew into the hall. It emitted a white-blue glow, crackled slightly and moved around the room - slowly and chaotically. At that very moment the lights turned off and the TV stopped working - just like in a horror movie. As a result, the lightning flew around the hall for about three minutes and left the same way as it appeared - through the window.

Alexandra recalls that back then, as a child, she didn’t even have time to really get scared. And only later, having read what kind of troubles ball lightning sometimes causes, I realized that they got off easy:

“It’s a miracle that she didn’t burn anything or harm anyone.” I read that people get terrible burns from such lightning. I definitely wouldn’t want to meet her a second time.

According to NASA, about 40–50 lightning strikes occur on planet Earth every second, which is approximately 1,400,000,000 electrical discharges per year; two-thirds of these lightning strikes occur in the atmosphere, and only a quarter, that is, 350,000,000 strikes downwards, reaching the ground.

They “love” oaks and larches

If we talk about terrain, scientists believe that an electrical discharge during a thunderstorm follows the line of least resistance and hits the highest point of the terrain. However, in reality it is quite difficult to calculate where lightning will strike. She is, of course, attracted to tall trees, and according to statistics, she more often chooses oaks and larch than, for example, pine or birch, which she hits less often, but still hits them.

Lightning is attracted to moisture, which means that especially dangerous areas during a thunderstorm are ponds, lakes, rivers, swamps, and their banks.

But it turns out that on Earth there are entire mountain ranges and cities that lightning for some reason “loves” very much; thunderstorms constantly rage over these places, and lightning strikes in the same place.

More often hit in Africa and Asia

Brazilian scientists from the University of Sao Paulo studied photographs from satellites of NASA and the Japanese agency TRMM over 15 years and found that lightning is distributed unevenly across the planet and mysteriously prefers certain places.

It turned out that most often they hit rocks in the Mitumba Mountains (Congo) and in the mountains of Cameroon.

Among the more or less populated regions, the leader was the Venezuelan city of Lagunitas, where lightning is attracted by Lake Maracaibo.

African cities in the Congo: Cabaret and Campene also became champions in the number of lightning strikes.

In general, Africa has become the “hottest” continent - there are almost 300 places where lightning strikes constantly.

There were only 53 such places on the North American continent. Among them were the city of Castle Rock (Colorado), the well-known Canaveral Peninsula, the Yucatan Peninsula and the Mexican Sierra Madre Mountains.

87 such places were found in Asia, and Pakistan took the lead in the number of celestial electrical discharges.

But no such places were found in Europe.

The Brazilians also found out that lightning prefers the coast during the day and strikes the oceans and seas at night, but the most dangerous places are still the mountains.

They hit the same place twice

NASA researchers Philip Kreider and William Weylin discovered that, contrary to popular belief, lightning can easily strike the same place twice or even three times. They recorded 396 lightning strikes in the American town of Tucson and saw that 136 electrical discharges (35%) struck the same place twice or even three times. The difference in hits was only 5–10 meters. Scientists have found that if lightning strikes in any place, then almost 70% - for the next one to strike nearby within a radius of 10 to 100 meters.

By the way, in Bulgaria, in the town of Truncha, there lives a certain Zakir Cholakov, whose house was struck by lightning 9 times, despite the fact that two powerful lightning rods were installed on it. There are several similar places in Russia - these are Gremyachiy Log near Kursk and the Medveditskaya ridge (Volgograd region).

They are not attracted to phones

Russian scientists from the All-Russian Electrotechnical Institute experimentally found that neither a mobile phone nor headphones with a player increase the likelihood of lightning striking a person. If he is standing in an open field and represents the highest point of the relief, then lightning will still strike him, even if he is not talking on the phone.

To minimize lightning strikes in a field or near water, you should lie on the ground, and in the city, stay close to the walls of houses and do not open your umbrella when crossing an open space. Outside the city, it is best to stay in the car, and if you are on a bicycle or motorcycle, you should leave them aside and move 20–30 meters away from them.

When on the water, you should immediately go ashore or moor to it if you are on a boat. The radius of lightning damage when it hits water is 100 meters.

In the mountains you should go down into a hollow and hug the ground.

In a country house, you should close the windows, the dampers in the stove and turn off all electrical appliances.

The tallest building on earth, the CN Tower (Toronto, Canada), is struck by lightning 80 times a year.

For every woman killed by lightning, 6 men died.

The shock wave at the center of lightning is comparable to the shock wave from a tactical nuclear explosion and is approximately 0.93 MPa.

In 2013, 335 sheep standing close to each other due to the cold were killed by lightning in Kyrgyzstan.

Only 25% of people die after being struck by lightning.

Somewhere in America lives a man named Roy Sullivan, who has already survived seven lightning strikes.

Airplanes are called the safest form of transport, but in many they instill an overwhelming sense of fear. Periodically appearing media reports that some airliner was struck by lightning also do not help in the fight against phobia. Lenta.ru found out how often this happens and why it is dangerous for the aircraft.

In early June, lightning struck three planes parked at Sheremetyevo Airport. The discharge caused them to lose power, shutting down avionics and other systems. In March, an Embraer E170 airliner with 55 passengers on board was forced to land in New York due to lightning. In early January, an Aurora Airlines plane flying from Harbin to Khabarovsk suffered lightning on the right wing tip, and a month earlier, a lightning strike occurred on an Airbus A330 flight from Moscow to Seoul.

The list of incidents involving a lightning strike on an aircraft is not uncommon in aviation. Usually the discharge does not damage the aircraft, but at the end of the flight it is suspended from flying for some time.

“Typically, lightning strikes the tip of the wing or the nose of the aircraft, travels along the body and exits at another point, such as the tail,” explains pilot Patrick Smith, author of Cockpit Confidential.

Lightning strikes a jet about once every two years, he said. Smith says the impact usually only damages the aircraft's skin. Occasionally, aircraft electrical systems are affected by the discharge, but usually the damage is minor. In general, all instruments on airplanes are shielded. In addition, some deviations may be observed in the operation of electronics used by passengers.

“Lightning strikes the plane very, very often, but nothing happens,” Alexey Kochemasov, the captain of the Pobeda Airlines aircraft, better known on the Internet under the pseudonym Pilot Lekha, told Lenta.ru.

Alexey said that sometimes a couple of rivets burn out on the body. “But this doesn’t affect anything,” the pilot clarifies. - After something like this is discovered, a new rivet is installed and that’s it. It takes about five minutes.”

Professor Manu Hadda, who directs the Morgan Botti Lightning Laboratory at Cardiff University (UK), explains that modern aircraft such as the Boeing 767 or Airbus A 350 have a design that works on roughly the same principle as a Faraday cage. Their body is made of lightweight carbon composite coated with a thin layer of copper. Therefore, when lightning hits an airplane, it passes along its surface, but does not penetrate inside.

Hadda adds that the discharge cannot even theoretically reach the fuel tanks, which are located in the wings.

“The current strength of a lightning strike reaches 200 thousand amperes - passengers may hear a noise or see a flash of light in the window, but they will not feel anything,” assures Hadda.

He clarifies that the aviation industry is a rather conservative industry and various tests of equipment are constantly carried out here, including those for operation in extreme conditions. So passengers do not risk anything.

Experts believe that lightning poses the greatest risk to the crew of an aircraft and its passengers: the sight of a discharge striking the body can cause panic, which, in case of an inadequate response, poses a threat to flight safety.

According to statistics, lightning most often strikes aircraft flying in cumulonimbus clouds at an altitude of 2-5.5 kilometers. Flying planes sometimes themselves cause discharges in electrified clouds. Light aircraft are considered less susceptible to lightning strikes due to their size.

Videos of lightning striking airplanes are gaining thousands of views on the Internet.

Serious incidents associated with lightning strikes in the history of world aviation can be counted on one hand. The most recent one occurred in January 2014: a light aircraft from Intan Angkasa Air crashed in eastern Indonesia when it was caught in a thunderstorm and struck by lightning. Four people died as a result of the crash.

The most serious disaster due to lightning occurred in 1963. Then the discharge led to an explosion in the air of the Pan American Boeing 707 airliner.

As a result of the investigation, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) decided to equip all civil aircraft with special dischargers that remove static electricity. They began to be installed at the ends of the wings, and for the sake of safety, the free space in the tanks, as fuel was used up, was filled with inert gas, which prevented the ignition of fuel vapors.

“In 1993, I was the crew chief on a 37-seat airplane whose nose was struck by lightning from a tiny thundercloud. What did we feel and hear? A barely noticeable flash and a barely noticeable jolt, recalls Patrick Smith. The hazard lights did not light up, the generators did not turn off. We had the following dialogue with the co-pilot: “What was that?” - "Don't know". - "Lightning?" - "May be"".

Mechanics subsequently discovered a black speck at the front of the fuselage.

On average, every plane is struck by lightning twice every year. As a rule, it does not cause serious damage. However, there are known cases of aircraft crashes due to lightning strikes.

Which plane is safer to fly on?

Modern military and large passenger airliners are equipped with appropriate protection against lightning strikes - this is a special device for fuel tanks, shielding and dischargers that remove static electricity (on all models of aircraft, released after 1965).

Such aircraft are not afraid of even strong lightning strikes. Pilots usually describe a lightning strike as simply a flash, but nothing more. Lightning can strike both an aircraft in flight and an aircraft stationary at the airfield.

She's going through special mesh or metal case aircraft and comes out either from the tips of the wings or from the tail. On the skin of an aircraft, lightning leaves no marks or an invisible mark. The electrical system may fail.

In any case, an aircraft caught in thunderclouds and struck by lightning is checked for damage.

Another thing is small airbuses and light aircraft, which do not have such protection. A lightning strike can make a hole in the aircraft's body and cause the cabin to depressurize. The plane will literally fall apart in the air.

Such cases are known in the history of aviation, and the last such case occurred with an aircraft quite recently. In 2014, when the plane was struck by lightning, making a hole in the body. Since the impact occurred when he was already landing, a large number of casualties were avoided.

64 passengers were rescued and one passenger died.

Most often, lightning strikes an airplane during takeoff, landing, or when it hits thunderclouds. The size of possible damage depends on the force of the impact and their number. The most dangerous time to get it is during takeoff, when the tanks are full of fuel.

Although special substances are added to aviation fuel that displace air from the tanks, making it will not be able to ignite in the fuel tank from lightning or static electricity. However, if the plane crashes, they can explode.

What is the probability of a plane crash when struck by lightning?

The likelihood of a car accident when an aircraft is struck by lightning depends on whether it has screens and a lightning rod. For large aircraft such as Boeing or Tu, the interior of which can accommodate from 120 to 300 people is equipped with the necessary protection.

Smaller aircraft do not have such advantages, so the risk when flying them is much higher. Although airplanes are considered the safest mode of transport, medium and small ones (especially small ones) are not as safe as we would like. Everything in this case depends on the level of training and professionalism of the pilots.

Cases from the history of aviation

According to available statistics, lightning mainly strikes those aircraft that fly at altitude no more than 5 kilometers and on the way of which there are often thunderclouds. There is an opinion that small planes, such as a corn husk, do not experience lightning strikes as often.

However, such attacks always end in disaster, since such a device is devoid of any protection and flight safety depends entirely on the actions of the pilot.

• In December 1963 A Pan American plane crashed due to lightning. This was the first time such an accident had occurred. The plane exploded in the air. As a result, American authorities conducted an examination of the debris and found out the cause of the explosion. The plane was struck by lightning, which led to a fire in the fuel compartments. The death toll as a result of the accident is 8 crew members and 73 passengers.
• In March 2016 An Embraer E170 plane was forced to make an emergency landing in New York after it was struck by lightning. There were 55 passengers on board. According to known information, none of the passengers were injured.
• At the beginning of January 2016 The Aurora company plane fell into a zone of thunderclouds and was struck by lightning. As a result, its wing was damaged, but the engines did not fail and the pilots decided to continue the flight to the final destination (Khabarovsk).

There are not many serious incidents related to lightning strikes in the history of world aviation. After the first serious accidents, aircraft designers tried to correct the problem as quickly as possible. True, old planes that do not have appropriate protection are still flying in the air.

The last time a plane crashed due to being struck by lightning was in January 2014. A small aircraft company crashed on the eastern coast of Indonesia Intan Angkasa Air. There was a thunderstorm, the pilot was unable to avoid the storm clouds, and the car was struck by an electrical discharge. Four people died.