How to avoid being struck by lightning during a thunderstorm.
If you see someone's hair standing on end, it means they could be struck by lightning at any moment. Follow these steps:
How is lightning formed?
According to the Climate Change Department (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment), lightning is a natural phenomenon formed from thunderstorms. Thunderstorms are complex atmospheric phenomena formed when there is strong convection, including electrical discharges within clouds, between clouds, or between clouds and the ground, creating lightning and thunder; often accompanied by strong winds and heavy rain, sometimes with hail. The case where an electrical discharge occurs between a cloud and the ground is called lightning.
Non-combustible insulators can be punctured in a strong electric field at the lightning strike, then melt at the point of contact with the lightning strike. Thermal damage to metal conductors carrying lightning current is rare. However, if there is poor contact along the lightning strike path, melting may occur.
According to Dr. Nguyen Xuan Anh (Director of the Institute of Geophysics - Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology), people struck by lightning often suffer permanent brain damage, deafness, or blindness if not detected and treated promptly; in severe cases, death may occur. Approximately 30% of lightning strike victims die due to cardiac arrest.
If people cannot find safe shelter in time during a thunderstorm, they should absolutely not use trees as shelter from the rain, avoid higher areas, and stay away from metal objects such as bicycles, motorbikes, and iron fences. Everyone should find a dry place, stand as low as possible, hug their neck with their hands, stand on tiptoes, and not lie down on the ground, minimizing contact between their body and the ground.
People should avoid places containing water such as the sea, ponds, lakes, and ditches. If in a forest, they should look for low trees and sparsely spaced areas to avoid.
The Climate Change Department of the General Department of Meteorology and Hydrology has released a leaflet guiding people on how to avoid lightning strikes, which advises against standing in groups outdoors, as lightning strikes can easily cause catastrophic accidents. If someone feels their hair standing on end, it means they could be struck by lightning at any moment. They should immediately sit down, cover their ears with their hands, and absolutely not lie down or place their hands on the ground.