Re: Lightning safety
Posted by alan on July 11, 2004 at 21:29:01:
In Reply to: Re: Lightning safety posted by Scootertrash on July 02, 2004 at 03:15:29:
When the lightning strikes the hut, or tower,or top of the mountain or whatever, it goes into the ground and spreads out so you're not OK yet if you're close to that point. I don't know what a good definition of "close" is. I assume it depends on how conductive the ground is. Rock probably doesn't conduct any to well, so if the surface is wet, the current is probably going to stay close to the surface for some distance. People have been killed by standing in caves or tunnels on mountains in storms. They formed the shortest path across the mouth of the cave/tunnel and the current went through them.
Here is what I've heard and what I'd do if I can't get to a safer spot: Its best to be in a shallow depression to avoid the cave scenario, but still not be the local highest point so you don't become the thing that the lightning strikes. Put whatever you can as an insulator between yourself and the ground and crouch on your feet with no hands touching the ground so you don't form a path for the current through your heart.