The phenomenon of lightning in the world
El Temps del Picó i el Freixes leaves us with the anecdote of the week with curious phenomena from around the world that you probably didn’t know about. Pay attention to this week’s videos, there are some to soak bread in!
Curiosities about lightning
Let’s see some trivia about lightning. 16 million storms form every year on our planet. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the border with Tanzania, is the town of Kifuka and it holds a curious record: it is the place where the most lightning strikes… 158 electric shocks per square kilometer per year. Some mounds are permanently burned. Skyscrapers are also true lightning rods, such as the Empire State Building, which receives the impact of 23 lightning strikes per year. But the Collserola tower is not far behind, in a storm in August 2005, 8 lightnings struck the building.
Amazing stories
Virginia State Forest Ranger Roy Sullivan (1912-1983) didn’t have a very peaceful life: he was struck by 7 lightning strikes and was known as the “human lightning rod” as they later called him that lightning never strikes twice in the same place. We can also see the first photograph of lightning captured by William Jennings in 1882.
Risks and catastrophes
Let’s continue with more lightning. Every year in France there are 15 to 20 people who lose their lives due to lightning, or in the United States, 60. The greatest risk we have when struck by lightning is a cardiovascular arrest. Immediate CPR can save the victim. 80% of people struck by lightning do not die, but 75% have burns and neurological, auditory, vascular, pulmonary or eye injuries. An amazing case is known: an American who was blind and deaf after an accident, regained his sight and hearing after being struck by lightning. Every year around 1,000 cattle are struck by lightning in Switzerland. On August 1, 1932, 450 lambs were killed by lightning in Puy des Goules, Auvergne.
Catastrophes due to lightning
Some lightning catastrophes. In Greece in 1856, lightning struck a gunpowder warehouse and killed 400 people. In 1927, in the United States, an ammunition depot exploded when struck by lightning, killing 30.
The weather forecast
Alfred Rodríguez Picó and Xavi Freixes will again do the weather forecast together at premium.cat next Thursday, May 2nd with more storms and rain to comment on. Do not miss it!
