Lightning-related Health Effects
| Lightning-Related Fatalities in the CARA
Region 1998-2002 http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/hazstats.shtml |
|||||
| 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | |
| Connecticut | |||||
| Delaware | |||||
| Maryland | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 1 | |||
| New Jersey | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| New York | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Pennsylvania | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| Rhode Island | |||||
| Virginia | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Washington, D.C. | |||||
| Total | 5 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 5 |
In the US an average of 73 people per year die from lightning strikes and at least another 300 suffer injury. After flood, lightning is the second most common storm-related cause of death nationwide, but ranks third in the CARA region. About a third of lightning fatalities occur during work, another third during outdoor recreation, and the rest in a variety of settings, including indoors. http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/overview.htm
Lightning is directly dangerous because of its high voltage, heat production, and explosive force. Indirectly, it may also cause injury by starting forest fires or knocking objects onto people.