Source: NOAA, National Weather Service Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services
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Lightning is one of the leading causes of weather deaths in the United States. In Georgia, at least, 48 people have been killed and perhaps hundreds have been injured by lightning since 1978. In 2005, lightning killed at least 2 and injured 28. On August 16, 2005 a thunderstorm at Fort Benning produced lightning that injured 19 soldiers who were outside doing training maneuvers. On July 28, 2005 two deaths occurred at Lake Lanier when a 14-year old girl and the infant she was holding were struck. Lightning first struck the tree underneath which they had sought shelter, and then the bolt ran down the tree and hit them.
In 2004, five Georgians died and at least 20 others were injured. On May 17, 2004 two construction workers died in separate incidents in Fulton and Paulding counties... and on June 27, three died and six others were injured after being struck during a weekend outing at Lake Lanier in Hall County.
Because lightning usually claims only one or two victims at a time, and because lightning does not cause the mass destruction left in the wake of tornadoes or hurricanes, this natural hazard generally receives much less attention than the more destructive weather-related killers. That may partially explain why people often don't react promptly to the threat of being struck when thunderstorms are nearby.
For the Full Story by NOAA, National Weather Service Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services, click the link below:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ffc/html/lsaw2008.shtml
Credit: NOAA, National Weather Service Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services
Here is a link to the National Weather Service for more information about lightning safety:
