Don't be subjective with lightning during the stormy season

Many people died from lightning strikes while working outdoors.

During the rainy season, people face many risks of natural disasters, including accidents caused by lightning. According to statistics from the Department of Dykes and Natural Disaster Prevention and Control, in just the past 2 months, nearly 20 people have died from lightning strikes in many localities across the country. Most of the cases occurred when people were working or walking in the fields, in open areas, without safe shelter.

During the rainy season, thunderstorms often appear.

Recently, in Quynh Do village, Dai Thanh commune, Hanoi city, a woman was unfortunately struck to death by lightning while walking on the street during a thunderstorm. The heartbreaking incident once again sounded the alarm about the dangerous level of lightning during the rainy and stormy season.

In Hung Yen province, in recent years, there have been a number of cases of people being struck by lightning, causing death or leaving serious consequences. Many households also suffered property damage such as roofs being blown off, air conditioners, televisions, and electric fans being damaged after lightning struck the household electrical system.

A household in Nam Thuy Anh commune was struck by lightning, causing damage to a construction project.

At this time, the Northern region in general and Hung Yen in particular, are entering the peak of the rainy and thunderstorm season - a period when extreme weather phenomena often appear, in which lightning is a serious threat. However, many people are still subjective, not fully aware of the danger of this phenomenon.

Mr. Duong Van Thai, Deputy Director of the Hydrometeorological Station of Hung Yen province, said that lightning often occurs during thunderstorms, due to hot air currents carrying water vapor rising and colliding with ice crystals falling in the clouds, creating a strong electric discharge. The electric current in the lightning channel is very large, the temperature can reach up to 27,700 degrees Celsius - enough to burn any object it passes through. On average, each year, our country records about 2 million lightning strikes to the ground.

Lightning often appears before, during or after rain, especially after long periods of heat or at the time of changing seasons. Therefore, special attention should be paid on days when the weather changes rapidly, from hot to cold, with dense dark clouds, strong winds, etc.

Equip yourself with knowledge – Take proactive precautions to stay safe

Because lightning is a natural phenomenon that is random and there is no absolutely safe place to avoid it, it is important that people take the initiative to prevent and handle it properly when encountering thunderstorms.

According to the recommendations of the Hung Yen Provincial Hydrometeorological Station, people need to regularly monitor weather forecasts to grasp warnings about thunderstorms. When working outdoors, especially in open areas such as fields, it is necessary to carefully observe weather conditions and quickly find a safe shelter when detecting signs of thunderstorms. Absolutely do not take shelter under tall trees, high mounds of earth, near high-voltage electric poles; do not hold metal objects; do not gather in large crowds; do not stay near ponds, lakes, rivers, etc. If you cannot move in time, you need to sit low, curl up, limit contact with the ground, and absolutely do not lie close to the ground.

Lightning prevention measures recommended by experts

When indoors during a thunderstorm, keep doors and windows closed, unplug electronic devices, and do not use landline phones or devices that are charging.

It is worth noting that this is the peak time for the summer rice planting season, with prolonged hot weather and sudden thunderstorms. Therefore, farmers need to be especially careful. If you are working in the fields and see dark clouds, strong winds, or cold weather, you should quickly return home or find a safe place to shelter, and do not bring metal tools.

According to the recommendations of the health sector, people struck by lightning can suffer serious injuries such as: coma, arrhythmia, respiratory failure, burns... If the victim is still conscious, they need to be kept warm and given hot water to drink. In case of unconsciousness but still breathing and the heart is still beating, they need to be gently stimulated by calling the victim's name, shaking the person, pulling the hair. If the victim stops breathing or has a heart attack, they need to be given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions, then quickly transferred to the nearest medical facility.

Duong Mien - Huong Giang

Source: https://baohungyen.vn/khong-chu-quan-voi-set-trong-mua-mua-bao-3182319.html