2024-08-01 15:35:23
An 18-year-old boy died from a lightning strike on the Zugspitze, a little girl died under a tree near Delmenhorst: Many thunderstorms have struck Germany this summer, and more are on the way. Experts explain how to protect yourself – and what exactly you shouldn’t do.
August also started with storms in parts of Germany. In the past few weeks there has been heavy rain, thunder and lightning. Many people died from lightning: An 18-year-old boy was electrocuted on the highest mountain in Germany, the Zugspitze. A 14-year-old boy who had sought shelter in a tree with his family in Delmenhorst near Bremen and was injured by lightning died a few days later in hospital.
Experts explain how many people are struck by lightning, what consequences it has for them – and how to protect yourself in time.
How big is the danger?
There are no official statistics in Germany on the number of deaths and injuries caused by lightning strikes. The Association of Electrical Engineering Electronics Information Technology (VDE) collects and analyzes media reports on fire accidents and interviews with survivors.
According to the association’s assessment, there are approximately seven deaths and 120 injuries nationwide due to lightning strikes every year. Thomas Raphael, a lightning protection expert at the VDE said: “Of people who are struck directly by lightning, 30 percent die.
According to the expert, around 52 people are injured every year, often suffering from the consequences of lightning accidents for the rest of their lives.
What precautions are there?
If severe weather is forecast, no outdoor activities should be planned at that time, advises Raphael. “If I know that a storm happens during the day, I have to know where I can find where I can find protection,” said the electrical engineer.
“Closed buildings made of stone provide the best protection,” emphasizes lightning researcher Ullrich Finke from Hannover University of Applied Sciences. It is also safe between cars, but the windows must be closed. The metal body is protective and prevents electricity from entering the interior. Transformers only offer protection if a metal layer is incorporated on top.
We should visit the shelter before the storm approaches, Raphael said. “We know from our analysis that there are always situations in which even the first lightning strike causes damage.”
What places should I avoid?
“Many people don’t know that you should avoid trees during a hurricane,” said Raphael, an electrician. This applies to all tree species. Lightning often strikes the highest point, so riders still have to get off their horses. Light can jump from trees or tree poles to nearby people, even over several meters.
Finke also advises against sheltering against the wall, as this has the same effect as a tree. You should avoid water and metal objects or metal rods because they make fire very well. Riders should dismount and leave their bikes ten meters, or more.
Can I seek shelter in a wooden hut or bus stop?
Neurologist Berthold Schalke, who treats patients after a lightning strike at the Regensburg University Hospital, said: “The buildings are not suitable because the electricity goes into the ground. In 2013, four women who took shelter in a wooden hut from a thunderstorm died on a golf course after lightning struck them from the hut’s walls.
Schalke also knows lightning victims sitting in bus shelters. In this case, the lightning struck a tree behind the bus stop and reached the person on the ground. When traveling in mountains, for example, metal ladders or rails can cause fatal electric shocks.
What if I can no longer get to the right home?
It is advisable to find a hollow in a public place if possible and squat down with your legs together. When lightning strikes nearby, lightning spreads over the ground. If you stand with your legs spread out, a step tension can arise between your legs – current flows through your body.
According to the Electrical Engineering Association, the danger zone is more than ten meters around the impact site, and is even larger in rocky areas. Rocks should not touch when coming. People should also stay at least ten meters away from each other and not touch each other – i.e. do not touch children.
What is the possible resulting injury?
According to Schalke, neuropsychological effects include cognitive limitations. Patients often cannot concentrate well and have memory problems. The thin nerve fibers in the body through which the current flows are eventually damaged. One result is loss of pain and temperature sensitivity. The doctor said: “Many people can no longer do their work after a lightning strike.
Additionally, some patients have difficulty proving to their insurance company that their illnesses are a direct result of the fire accident. If lightning enters the earth, there is no scar on the skin.
dpa/mali
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