A football player from the Familia Chocca team, which competes in a local league in Peru, died after being struck by lightning this Sunday (3) during a match in Huancayo, according to the Peruvian state news agency Andina. Four other players were also injured.
According to Rodrigo Salvetti, geologist and professor of biological sciences at the Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio University Center (CEUNSP), lightning is an electrical discharge formed by the friction of moving air with water droplets present in the clouds.
“When clouds are very charged, the wind moves them, generating the accumulation of static electricity, which can be converted into an electrical discharge when these electrically charged particles collide,” he explains.
He clarifies that discharges are very common, and generally move between one cloud and another. But discharges can occur that are directed from the cloud to the ground or even from the ground to the cloud, depending on the polarity of the electrical charges.
But when can lightning strike a person? “Lightning will look for points of greatest potential difference to discharge their electrical charge. This could be a lightning rod, a tree or even a person; in general, but not exclusively, they are the highest points at some point on the surface”, he explains.
This can happen in open environments, such as beaches, pastures and football fields. “Where almost everything is at ground level, the presence of a human being will be the easiest way for the discharge to occur”, adds Paulo Rezende, professor of the electrical engineering course at Centro Universitário Braz Cubas.
Lightning can cause everything from burns to the destruction of tissues and internal organs
According to Rezende, the damage caused by electrical passage through the human body is countless, and can range from burns to the destruction of tissues and internal organs, in addition to being able to cause cardiac arrest, fibrillation, respiratory arrest and damage to the nervous system.
“In the case of an atmospheric discharge, the situation becomes much worse. A person hit by a lightning strike has little chance of surviving,” he says.
When a person survives an electrical discharge, consequences may occur, which will depend on the path of the electrical current through the body and the quality of medical care immediately after the accident.
However, Salvetti reiterates that Being struck by lightning is a rare accident . “The most common thing is for the person to be hit indirectly, receiving the current through the ground or through lateral branches of the main axis of the lightning”, he explains. In other words, people close to the location or person affected can also receive the electrical discharge.
How to avoid being struck by lightning?
To avoid being struck by lightning, some precautions are necessary. In general, it is important seek shelter in a protected and electrically isolated location .
“It can be inside a car, house, or under a grounded metal roof,” says Salvetti. “It is also important to wear shoes, preferably sneakers or rubber boots, and avoid shelter under trees or metal towers, which easily conduct the energy from electrical discharges to the ground, causing discharge through lateral branches”, he adds.
When being in an open area, it is essential to look for covered places in case of changes in the weather.
Furthermore, care must also take place indoors . “Stay away from metal windows and doors and, if possible, away from walls, corded telephones and showers. Also avoid using a cell phone while it is charging”, advises Rezende.
Taking care when using electronics at home can prevent accidents
This content was originally published in What happens when a person is struck by lightning? on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
Charles Grill is a tech-savvy writer with over 3 years of experience in the field. He writes on a variety of technology-related topics and has a strong focus on the latest advancements in the industry. He is connected with several online news websites and is currently contributing to a technology-focused platform.
