Most often, people perceive a thunderstorm as an extremely beautiful and fascinating natural phenomenon. However, few people think about the fact that it is very dangerous. According to official statistics, about 24 thousand people die from lightning strikes every year in the world, and more than 240 thousand receive various injuries. As you know, lightning can kill even if it does not hit a person, but strikes near him. But what happens if lightning hits a lake or river in which a person is located? It is impossible to give a clear answer, since everything depends on the conditions and situation.
It is better to avoid bodies of water during a thunderstorm. Photo source: dzen.ru
Contents
- 1 What will happen to a person in the water if lightning strikes
- 2 In what cases can a person survive in water when struck by lightning
- 3 Do fish die in water after a lightning strike
- 4 Can water in a pond boil after a lightning strike
What will happen to a person in water if lightning strikes
During a thunderstorm, incredible charges of energy fall on the ground. Lightning voltage is from tens of millions to a billion volts, and the current is on average 30 kA, but can reach 200 kA. Therefore, it is not surprising that even when lightning strikes nearby into the ground, people often die.
In this case, there is no need to talk about water, since it, as we know, has a much higher electrical conductivity. Accordingly, when lightning strikes a body of water, the current spreads in different directions and can pass through the human body. This causes respiratory paralysis, cardiac arrest, muscle cramps, etc. Simply put, the chances of a swimmer surviving a lightning strike nearby are extremely small.
Lightning can kill a person swimming. Photo source: kuban.kp.ru
Moreover, if lightning strikes a body of water, even a person on the shore can be injured. Therefore, during a thunderstorm, it is necessary to be as far away from the shore as possible. Experts warn that the radius of damage can reach 100 meters. For this reason, it is not even recommended to pitch a tent near a body of water.
In what cases can a person survive in water when struck by lightning
From all of the above, the question arises – what will happen if lightning strikes a body of water at a large distance from a person, for example, a river? Will he really be injured? In fact, no – the radius of lightning damage in water is also about 100 meters. Therefore, if lightning strikes water at a large distance, a person will not even feel it.
If there is less than 30 seconds between the flash and thunder, then the thunderstorm is close and poses a serious danger.
But this does not mean that you can stay in the water if the thunderstorm is far away. It can very quickly be very close. Moreover, the movement of the thunderstorm does not necessarily correspond to the direction of the wind. In addition, it is not recommended to go into the water for 30 minutes after the last flash of lightning, as it may repeat.
The electric charge in water spreads within a radius of 100 meters. Photo source: iflscience.com
Do fish die in water after being struck by lightning
One of the poachers' methods of catching fish is to use an electric fishing rod, which strikes with an electric charge. Lightning, as you might guess, is much more powerful. Does this mean that after a lightning strike, the fish will float to the surface? More likely no than yes, and it is not at all that the fish are somehow protected from lightning strikes.
The secret is that when lightning strikes, the current moves along the surface of the water without penetrating deep into it. The same effect occurs when lightning strikes a car or plane – the current passes along the surface, but not through the point of impact. This effect is the basis of Faraday cages, that is, fences that protect the contents from electric current. Moreover, sometimes this effect is observed even when lightning strikes a person. Thanks to it, a person remains alive after a lightning strike, but burns appear on his skin, which are called Lichtenberg figures.
Lightning does not threaten fish in the river. Photo source: wp-s.ru
The fish in the reservoir are at depth. Therefore, lightning strikes do not threaten them in any way. Does this mean that a person who is under water can also stay alive? Most likely yes, but it is unknown to what depth the electric discharge penetrates. Therefore, it is better not to dive during a thunderstorm.
Can the water in the reservoir boil after a lightning strike
A lightning strike reaches a temperature almost five times higher than the surface of the sun – it is more than 27 thousand degrees Celsius. One might assume that when lightning strikes, water should boil and quickly evaporate. But is this really so?
Water does not boil when struck by lightning. Photo source: life.ru
When lightning hits water, the temperature quickly dissipates. As a result, the cooling effect does not allow it to boil. Therefore, neither fish nor people who are in the water at the time of the lightning strike will suffer from the high temperature. Death, as we have found out, will most likely occur for completely different reasons.
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Considering all of the above, it is better to stay away from water during a thunderstorm. Moreover, you should leave it before the thunder strikes, as it may be too late. On the Internet, you can find many cases clearly demonstrating what happens to people who neglect safety rules during a thunderstorm.