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  1. Safe Against Lightning Worldwide
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  3. Safe Behaviour Against Lightning
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  5. Myths and FAQs about...

Incorrect beliefs, which do not correspond to reality and the phenomenon of lightning, are dangerous for people’s safety.
The following are some of these myths.

Mythsrelated to warning signs

If there is no rain or storm clouds, people are safe..

  • Lightning can actually travel several kilometres: the typical distance travelled is 9 kilometres, but the record is held by a lightning strike that crossed Brazil in 2018, from northeastern Argentina to the Atlantic Ocean, travelling 709 kilometres. That is why all signs of a storm should be considered, and, in the event of any of them, get to safety.

Lightning never strikes twice in the same place.

  • Lightning strikes preferentially at the highest point, so elevated, pointed and isolated objects have a high probability of becoming the point of another lightning strike.

If the person is outdoors and a storm is approaching or forming, there is no rush to seek shelter.

  • Rather the other way around: each storm warning sign leaves limited and valuable lead time to take corresponding individual preventive measures that can save the lives of exposed persons. Furthermore, the  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates that most lightning strike accidents occur at the beginning or end of storms.

Mythsrelated to individual measures that can save lives

If the person is outdoors when a storm occurs, it is best to seek shelter under a tree.

  • This belief is very dangerous as trees are tall elements and therefore more likely to be struck by lightning. In addition, the current is dispersed in the roots, which generates important step voltages. Most lightning accidents occur when people take shelter under a tree, as happened in 2021 in India, in an an incident in which 4 people died.

If the person is outside when a thunderstorm starts, he/she should lie down on the ground to avoid being the tallest object.

  • The dispersion of current on the ground can cause serious damage, even shock, due to the difference in voltage between two different parts of the body (e.g. between the feet). This is why, if the storm strikes in the open air with no possibility of shelter, you should adopt the safety position: try to reduce the height as much as possible by squatting down and keeping your feet close together.

Inside a building people are completely safe.

  • Lightning can also strike the lines and travel along them into dwellings. If lines are not protected from lightning current, the use of electrical and electronic equipment should be avoided, and even the most sensitive equipment should be disconnected. Also, you should move away from doors and windows.

MythsFirst aid related myth

Touching a lightning victim will result in electrocution of the helper.

  • Just the opposite: it is perfectly safe to touch a victim, who may also require rapid intervention to save his or her life while medical attention arrives.

The joint commitment of the institutions and SALWO towards spreading individual safety rules avoids lethal accidents.