Unfortunately, August alone has tallied six lightning deaths in the United States.
(NOAA)
It’s been a tragic month for lightning deaths, including a Central Florida woman who was killed by lightning while waiting for her daughter to get off the school bus. Reports say lightning hit a nearby tree. Earlier this month, three people near the White House were killed when lightning struck the tree they were under.
Being under a tree is one of the leading causes of lightning casualties. But why is being under–or even near–a tree so dangerous?
When lightning strikes a tree, the energy travels out along the ground’s surface. The ground current affects a larger area and can lead to multiple injuries or deaths.
![](http://www.mynews13.com/content/dam/News/2022/08/29/Ground_Current.gif)
John Jensenius with the National Lightning Safety Council says the most recent multi-fatality incidents all have one feature in common: trees.
When it rains, don’t seek shelter under a tree. Find a building or a hard-topped vehicle and don’t wait until the last minute to seek shelter. Lightning can strike more than 10 miles away from a thunderstorm.
If you can hear thunder, you are in danger of being struck by lightning, even if it’s not raining where you are.
Remember: “When thunder roars, go indoors!”
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