Two hikers rescued after lightning strike

TWO men were struck by lightning during a severe thunderstorm while hiking on the Giant’s Cup Trail, above the Sani Pass Road, in the southern Drakensberg on Friday.

KZN search and rescue convener, from the Mountain Club of South Africa, Gavin Raubenheimer, said one hiker had been struck directly and sustained severe injuries, while the other sustained a secondary strike with minor injuries.

“One was badly injured as the lightning entered through his shoulder and exited through his lower abdomen. He was in severe pain and the second man was struck unconscious for a while,” said Raubenheimer.

He said that due to nightfall and thunderstorms in the area, the use of a helicopter was ruled out.

He said a team of four Mountain Club of South Africa rescuers, one a paramedic from Berg Protection Services, and volunteer hikers put themselves in a “fair amount of danger” as they hiked to the scene, about 5km from the nearest road.

“During the descent, two more severe thunderstorms hampered the rescue operation.

“The patients were attended to and the badly injured man was brought back to an ambulance using a wheeled stretcher,” said Raubenheimer.

SA Weather Service forecaster Wisani Maluleke said there was a lot of thunderstorm activity on Friday.

“With these thunderstorms we do expect lightning, which is dangerous to humans and livestock,” he noted.

Maluleke added that thunderstorms were not out of the ordinary during summer.

“During this time of the year we do expect thunderstorms, and some can be severe. We are expecting more thunderstorms this month and in January,” he said.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, Lennox Mabaso, the spokesperson for the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, said two people died after being struck by lightning in uMzumbe, in the Ugu district on the South Coast on Friday.

Raubenheimer urged people to be more aware of the weather conditions and to take necessary precautions during thunderstorms.

“Try to be in low-lying areas where there are lots of high points for lightning to strike. Sit in a hollow area – a depression is best – and groups should spread out so that lightning does not strike the entire party,” he said.

Raubenheimer also advised people to sit on their haunches instead of lying down.