News Summary
A lightning strike injured 20 individuals, including 12 children, while they were swimming at Dominion Beach Park in Lexington County. The incident occurred as a thunderstorm rolled through the area, with many victims holding onto a metal cable attached to buoys when the lightning hit the water. While initial reports suggested more injuries, updated information confirmed 12 people were transported to local hospitals for treatment, with all expected to survive. The incident highlights the dangers posed by thunderstorms, prompting officials to remind the public of the importance of storm safety.
Dreher Shoals Dam, South Carolina – A lightning strike injured 20 people, including 12 children, while they were swimming at Dominion Beach Park on Tuesday evening. The incident took place around 4:43 p.m. ET as a thunderstorm swept through Lexington County.
The lightning hit the water and energized a metal cable that was attached to buoys in the swimming area. According to emergency officials, many of the victims had swum out to the buoys and were holding onto the cable when the lightning struck, while other swimmers were in the vicinity at the time. Fortunately, while everyone involved felt the jolt from the strike, the injuries sustained were not as severe as they could have been.
Initial reports indicated that 18 individuals were sent to a local hospital for treatment, including all 12 children. However, this number was later updated to show that 12 people were actually transported to three nearby hospitals. Though the specific extent of injuries was not disclosed, officials noted that all victims were expected to survive.
The breakdown of injured individuals in terms of how many were children and how many were adults was not provided by authorities. It has been reported that injuries included minor burns, especially for those who were holding the metal cable at the time of the strike.
On the day of the incident, the weather appeared bright and sunny, despite clouds gathering nearby. Just five minutes before the lightning struck, the National Weather Service in Columbia issued a Special Weather Statement warning of a strong thunderstorm with potential lightning and gusts of up to 50 mph approaching western Lexington County. This led to heightened awareness of storm safety among residents.
Fire officials reported that lightning can strike far from the closest cloud, reiterating the importance of taking precautions during thunderstorms. Lightning can travel up to 10 miles away from a storm, creating hazardous situations even in seemingly calm weather conditions.
In the aftermath of the incident, Dominion Beach Park was scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, following thorough safety assessments and clearance from relevant authorities. This situation has drawn attention to the inherent dangers of engaging in outdoor activities during thunderstorm conditions, even when local weather appears tranquil.
This unfortunate event serves as a reminder to the public regarding the risks involved with electrical storms and the necessity of seeking shelter when lightning begins to threaten outdoor recreational activities. While the day initially unfolded under sunny skies, the latent danger posed by lightning was tragically illustrated when the storm arrived with little warning, culminating in injuries that could serve as a cautionary tale for others.
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Additional Resources
- ABC News
- Wikipedia: Lightning
- AccuWeather
- Google Search: lightning injury South Carolina
- Fox Weather
- Google Scholar: lightning strikes injuries
- Click on Detroit
- Encyclopedia Britannica: lightning
- Scripps News
- Google News: South Carolina lightning injury
