2 lightning-related deaths reported in US this past weekend
The fatalities, which occurred Saturday and Sunday, are the first known lightning deaths in the U.S. this year.
The first known lightning fatalities this year in the United States took place over the weekend.
On Saturday in Chester, Pennsylvania, located just south of Philadelphia, lightning struck a tree, which caused a tree branch to break and fall on top of a vehicle, killing the driver. A passenger seated in the front seat was transported to a local hospital for minor injuries, while another passenger suffered no injuries.
On Sunday, a 39-year-old man was killed and another person was injured when lightning struck their boat in Brevard County, Florida. The incident took place on the Indian River.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission identified the boater as Peter Strong of West Melbourne, Florida. First responders "attempted life-saving measures on the operator of the vessel" but could not revive him, according to officials. A passenger on Strong's boat suffered minor injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Emergency personnel from the conservation commission, Brevard County Sheriff's Office and county Fire Rescue responded to a 911 call just before 4 p.m. EDT on Sunday regarding a vessel being struck by a bolt of lightning on the river, roughly 50 miles southeast of Orlando, according to Ashlee Brahier Sklute, a spokesperson for the FWCC.
Lightning strikes the ocean in Florida. (Oleksandr Semenkov/Getty Images)
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a tornado warning and several severe thunderstorm warnings for Brevard County on Sunday.
"The FWC sends their prayers and condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Strong," FWC said in a statement.
The deaths in Pennsylvania and Florida were the first known lightning fatalities in the U.S. this year. The incidents were also the first lightning deaths in the month of April since 2018. On April 7, 2018, a woman in Florida was killed when lightning struck when she was mud-bogging with friends, according to a news report from CBS47.
This was the first lightning death reported in Pennsylvania since July 2021, and the first lightning death reported in Florida since this past September.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), lightning strikes are responsible for an average of 20 to 30 fatalities and 100 injuries each year in the U.S. Based on data from the last 10 years, the U.S. averages at least one lightning death by April 16.
Last year, there were 19 reported lightning fatalities across the country, with the majority of the deaths occurring in Florida, according to the National Lightning Safety Council.
U.S. lightning fatalities between 2012 and 2022. Information complied by John Jensenius. (National Lightning Safety Council)
Delayed actions, like waiting too long to get to a safe place when storms are approaching, account for many of the lightning fatalities and injuries in the U.S. The safest location during a thunderstorm is inside a large enclosed structure, such as a shopping center, school, office building or home.
The incidents this past weekend in Pennsylvania and Florida serve as a good early-season reminder that lightning strikes are one of the most underrated weather hazards, according to NOAA.
"Because lightning is one of the most capricious and unpredictable characteristics of a thunderstorm, no one can guarantee an individual or group absolute protection from it," the NWS wrote. "However, knowing and following proven lightning safety guidelines can greatly reduce the risk of injury or death."
Weather apps, such as the AccuWeather App, can provide up-to-date information on storms and lightning activity, allowing people to adjust their plans accordingly.
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