Consequences of a lightning strike in a person. How to avoid a lightning strike

Nature tirelessly strikes mankind 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 a person. 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 person to come to this theory is the scientist and famous politician B. Franklin. In 1752, Benjamin conducted an interesting experience. For this he tied a kite to the rope, to which he attached a metal key. Launching popular children's fun during a thunderstorm, he got sparks from the key. It was from this time that lightnings began to be actively studied as an amazing phenomenon of nature, and also because they seriously damaged the power lines of houses and other buildings. According to the theory, electricity discharges are generated between adjacent electrified blocks or between one electrified cloud and the earth. As a consequence, the accumulated atmospheric electricity and is looking for an outlet. The lightning strike occurs very quickly, as the discharge reaches the ground at a crazy speed - for millionths of a second.

Multiple lightning

Among other things, there is a multiple lightning. This is the same usual phenomenon, according to experts, even more frequent. Such lightning can count up to 40 digits with a barely noticeable interval in fractions of seconds. The human eye is not able to see such a phenomenon, therefore it is possible to reveal numerous strokes only with the help of the photoregistrator. When viewing frame-by-frame shooting, there are breaks between digits.

Thunderbolt per person

American scientists conducted a number of studies, during which they received fairly clear data. In the US, lightning occurs approximately 25 million times a year, mostly in the summer months. They also found that natural discharges rarely fall into people, but, nevertheless, they represent a huge danger to humans. According to the latest data, over 12 months from a lightning strike kill more than 63 people, and suffer about three hundred, the blame is the consequences of lightning. In most cases, all these injuries could have been avoided provided the simplest security measures were observed.

What happens when a person gets lightning

In history, there are times when people survived after meeting with lightning, and for some, it was remembered by only a few scars and stress.

In most situations, the injuries are incompatible with life, or a person becomes permanently disabled. The greatest danger is that a lightning stroke causes damage to the internal organs, and the outer covers of the body at the same time look absolutely normal, without visible burns and wounds. A person believes that he escaped with fright and does not turn in time for help to doctors. At this time in the body, damaged organs begin to become inflamed and bleed, which ultimately leads to internal bleeding and death.

A blow can cause:

• Loss of vision;
• Convulsions;
• paralysis;
• Loss of hearing;
• Cardiac arrest.

The consequences of a lightning strike can be unpredictable and of a lasting nature. These include:

• Cataract (after the defeat of the discharge, this disease can manifest itself in a few months, so it's worth immediately after the injury to go to the doctor to check vision).
• Severe sleep disorder.
• Constant headache.
• Problems with memory.
• Irritability and loss of speed of thinking.
• Cramps in the muscles.
• Severe pain in the eyes.

Such long-term effects of a lightning strike may not be apparent immediately, but this does not reduce their danger.

How to avoid a lightning strike

There is an opinion - if the lightning beats far, there is nothing to be afraid of. In fact, this is not so. In reality, it can strike for 15 km from the place where it actually rains. Even if you only hear a thunderstorm, but do not see any signs of lightning, you nevertheless risk being hit by a discharge of current.

What to do to avoid a lightning strike? First of all, take care to always know the weather forecast and do not go out at a dangerous time. Do not hide from a thunderstorm and lightning under the trees, and also avoid high or detached objects. Also, it is not recommended to be near water during such a bad weather.

If you are still in a thunderstorm, try to hide 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, nor should you talk on the phone. During a bad weather, it is recommended to turn off the cell phone. Before you go out after a thunderstorm, it is recommended to wait at least 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning. As statistics show, the consequences of lightning strike are the cause of non-observance of elementary precautions.

Can a person survive after a lightning strike?

People have not been afraid of lightning since time immemorial, 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 in the event that a lightning strike passed through the body without hurting vital organs. And among the lucky ones were those people who have an individual increased resistance of the body. The discharge of current, which has fallen 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 cataclysm that a huge number of deaths are recorded. If you compare lightning with a domestic shock of the current, it turns out that the heavenly discharge is stronger than usual several times, but the consequences are almost the same.

How to protect yourself from a direct lightning strike on the water

Everyone knows that water is the ideal conductor for electricity. When the lightning strikes the body of water, the affected area is about one hundred meters around the point of entry. That is why it is not recommended to bathe during lightning, and also to rest near to water. If you stay away from potentially dangerous places, you will never know what the consequences of a lightning strike on a person are. But if you are at this moment on fishing 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, contacting 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 do not know what the consequences of a lightning strike are, only you have to follow certain rules. As a rule, lightning falls into coniferous trees, such as pine, spruce. Also, poplar and oak trees are the victims of this element. Proceeding from this, we come to the conclusion that it is quite possible to hide from lightning under a low tree, which will not be coniferous. In case you are in the forest, there is a possibility that even if lightning does not strike exactly the tree under which you are, it can strike at the plant that is near you. Since the blow is quite strong, the branches and pieces of wood fly apart at great speed. One of such debris can easily fly into a person. Such consequences after a lightning strike are much less common, but still happen.

Also, in no case should not run. Despite the fact that this is quite understandable human reaction to any danger, in this case it can play a cruel joke. According to research, moving targets are most often struck by lightning. So if you are riding a bike, just jogging or trying to escape from a thunderstorm, stop and wait for the bad weather in a quiet place. This way you will increase your chances of survival. Also, do not use a cell phone, because the discharges from it can draw on the elements. Do not stand next to power lines, as you know, any electricity attracts lightning. Also, do not build a fire, because heated air has a high discharge conductivity. Metal is also an optimal conductor, so during a thunderstorm, it is better to remove any metal objects that are on you. This can be watches, chains, rings, etc.

First Aid

The points of lightning and the consequences of a direct attack can be very diverse, so you need to act as quickly as possible. If a person is struck by lightning, and he has lost consciousness, first check the presence of a pulse. Do not be afraid to touch the victim, since there is no charge in his body anymore. If you do not find a pulse, you need to urgently pull his tongue out of his mouth so that a person does not choke and choke. Further it is necessary to clear the oral cavity and make artificial respiration "mouth to mouth". Of course, first of all you need to immediately call an ambulance or take the injured person to the hospital yourself. Every second can be in the account. If he has a pulse and no visible damage, he still needs to be taken to the hospital. As stated earlier, despite the fact that everything is in order, the internal organs of the injured person can be damaged, and only after examination by the doctor it will be possible to say exactly what are the real injuries and other consequences of lightning impact on a person.

Some interesting facts

Of course, if the lightning struck the head, then the chance to survive in humans is zero. In this case, the eyeballs literally explode, and the victim immediately dies. In some known cases, people fell into a coma and so did not go out of it. If lightning strikes other parts of the body, then basically it leaves on the body of the victim an ornate intricate pattern, which in itself resembles a lightning or a tree. In ancient times, such people were considered labeled by God, and the dead were buried with honors.

Finally

Today it is difficult to say why lightning strikes only one person, surrounded by thousands more people. Scientists have not yet been able to identify a common algorithm or people who are predisposed to such attacks. The only thing that can be said with certain precision is that the victims of lightning are becoming more and more every year. Therefore, it is important to adhere to certain rules of conduct during a thunderstorm.