THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

Lightning is something awesome to see but it is the deadliest phenomenon associated with a thunderstorm. Around the world there is approximately 1,800 thunderstorms and 100 lightning flashes each second somewhere in the world. However, in a single persons' lifetime there is a one in 600,000 chance of being struck by lightning. Even with the low chance of it happening it still does strike or injure an estimated amount of 200 americans. As for actual deaths from lightning is averaged at approximitly 86 people each year. Most of these deaths was caused by a direct stoke or a nearby lightning strike that induces a spark or a voltage differance in the ground.

Several activities during an lightning storm has caused most peoples' deaths. Some of these activities is swimming, golfing, hiking, talking on the phone, playing soccer, baseball, fishing, and showering. Humans are not the only ones affected by the danger of lightning. Even nature is threatened by this power of electrical discharge. Lightning has started 15 thousand fires to structures and burned down 2 million acres of forest each year in the United States. These Lightning induced fires to forests and grasslands accounts for 35% of forests lost.