What to do when lightning strikes

IF YOU had banked on surviving a storm based on the belief lightning never strikes the same place twice, then you should rethink your survival plan.

A myth that has fooled many of us for aeons, lightning does not discriminate against where it hits, but it does favour the tallest objects.

With the average bolts carrying a current of 10,000 to 30,000 amps, it’s no wonder it sometimes shakes our homes and sends our pets to the safe surrounds beneath our beds.

And that big crack you hear right after the flash of light is the sound of electrical discharge of the lightning.

So here’s what you need to know for when lightning strikes...

Stay inside

Close, and stay away from, windows and doors

Don’t touch telephones and appliances, including radios, TVs and computers Don’t take a bath

Avoid objects that conduct electricity (for example golf clubs, umbrellas, metal fences)

Don’t stay in open spaces or under tall objects such as trees and poles. That’s because lightning hits the highest point it can find and passes through it to the ground

If you can’t shelter, crouch down so you are not the highest object. Don’t lie flat as it increases your chances of being affected by ground current

Stay in your car with windows closed. Avoid touching any metal parts of the vehicle

Do not drive, wait. But don’t park under trees or other tall objects

Be wary of downed power lines