Weather vigilance: after the death of a man struck by lightning, what are the reflexes to adopt to protect yourself in the event of a storm ?
|This Friday, May 24, the evening and night will be marked by strong stormy activity. A large part of the territory is under yellow alert. The day before, a man died, struck by lightning in a stadium in Pas-de-Calais. Reminder of the safety actions to adopt when you are near a storm.
Météo France is forecasting numerous storms this Friday, May 24. A large majority of the territory is on yellow alert. 68 departments are concerned in total, including a good part of Occitanie.
[#VigilanceJaune] 🟡 Vigilance orages à partir de 13h aujourd’hui 24 mai.
👉🏻 orages localisés cet après midi entre 13h et 20h
👉🏻 cumuls de l'ordre de 10 à 15 mm. Grêle ou grésil possibles
💨 Vent entre 50 et 60 km/h.Restez prudents.
Respectez les consignes. pic.twitter.com/3hDWx01Qtu— Préfet du Gard (@Prefet30) May 24, 2024
This Thursday evening, electrical activity was also very significant in the north of the territory and lightning led to the death of a man and seriously injured one by falling on land football during training near Lens, in Pas-de-Calais.
As the Gard prefecture reminds us, to avoid taking risks, in the event of a storm, it is better to adapt your activities to the meteorological risk. In 2017, the government posted a series of educational videos online to raise awareness about good actions in the event of storms, which claim an average of around a hundred victims per year.
The most dangerous activities
Thus, to avoid being a target for lightning, you must start by, if possible in the event of a forecast storm, avoiding planning outdoor activities. Some expose you to lightning strikes, such as fishing, swimming, boating, cycling, golf, mountaineering, as well as electrical work, or roof repair. In short, any presence in open spaces should be avoided.
Touch tension, side flash… avoid risky situations
"It is necessary to think about s’away from any metallic structure, in particular pylons, posts , fences, in order not to be the victim of electrocution by “touch voltage”, notes the Ministry of the Interior, which also specifies that putting under a tree, "especially if that tree is isolated or only part of a small group of trees", is never a good idea in case of ;thunderstorm!
If you are in the forest during the storm, be carefulmove three meters away from the trunks. This distance is also recommended between people if you are in a group. "The risk of a person being struck by lightning can be spread to their neighbors by a spark crossing the space between people who are too close together: this phenomenon is called "lateral lightning" ".
Gestures and attitudes to adopt
A storm breaking out makes you want to run away ? Bad idea. "Never stand up legs apart, nor walk with long strides when one is in a storm. We then risk being concussed, or even electrocuted, advises the Interior.
On the contrary, it is better to walk slowly and "s’it& ;rsquo;there is no shelter, squat on the ground, feet on an insulating material (slicker, backpack, rope , etc.) and put your head in your shoulders", advise the firefighters.
Not all shelters are desirable either: for example, an umbrella, a tent or a telephone booth are very bad ideas. On the other hand, you can find refuge in a closed car, or in a concrete place.