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Shocking death - Hiker Struck by Lightning

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  1. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by Irish Man:
    That's simply not true

    Of course hiking in thunderstorms is more dangerous than swimming

    Salt water doesn't conduct electricity very well, therefore it's not that high a risk

    The sea is at sea level,once you get out of the water, you're on low ground,which is low risk

    Lightning detectors don't stop you from being electrocuted!If you're unlucky enough to be on a high mountain when a thunderstorm comes, you're in a far worse position because you're so high above sea level, it's one of the worst places to be

    It's funny that you said there's no risk when we're in a thread talking about someone getting killed by lightning


    If there's no risk then why carry lightning detectors?
    In short, if you are hiking then the lightening has to hit YOU to hurt you. If you are swimming, it just has to hit the WATER near you.

    https://poolfence.com/safe-to-swim-during-thunderstorm/



  2. #32

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    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    In short, if you are hiking then the lightening has to hit YOU to hurt you. If you are swimming, it just has to hit the WATER near you.

    https://poolfence.com/safe-to-swim-during-thunderstorm/


    Not really true, but partially true.

    You can get hit by a side flash - E.g hits a tree you're standing under, and the charge partially arcs across space (normally not more than a foot or two) to hit something else.

    You can also get hit by ground current - The ground around said tree becomes charged and in fact this is the way one is most likely to be killed or injured by lightening, because the catchment area is greater than the likelihood of a direct strike

    There are even cases of people getting 'hit' inside their own home - Touching some conductor (e.g. a kitchen tap) when the building is hit - So @Irish Man 's stern warnings about the dangers of Hiking, really also need to include some warnings about staying inside as well.

    But of course the much greater conductivity of surface water, and greater still of surface salt water (and the fact that you are far more likely to be the highest object in a large radius) makes water borne 'ground current' a bigger risk.
    Last edited by Sage; 03-08-2022 at 12:26 PM.
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  3. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by HK_Katherine:
    In short, if you are hiking then the lightening has to hit YOU to hurt you.
    Not exactly. The voltage drop from the few 100mio volts alone can hurt, specially when walking. Best is to look for cover - but not single trees. Overgrown area is fine. A direct hit might be difficult to survive. The current will bring your blood instantly to a boiling point. That won't be fun.

    This said, really too rare to worry about it.

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  4. #34

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    Quote Originally Posted by ByeByeEngland:
    In nature versus humans nature invariably wins. The only success humans have is destructive. From what I can determine the storm warning had already been raised, please correct me if I’m wrong. If so then however tragic this could have been avoided.
    There's a warning up right now and here are the, incongruous, radar:

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    So just stay in all day? How is one supposed to make a determination with regards to risk of a severe lightning storm? Back home there would first be a severe thunderstorm "watch" (orange=maybe) raised, this would be followed by a severe thunderstorm "warning" (red=happening). Small isolated storms usually don't prompt these warnings. Here HKO just stick a warning up on the site and forget about it to absolve themselves of any responsibility.

  5. #35

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    Three tourists killed across the street from the White House (DC area thunderstorms are no joke):

    https://twitter.com/LindsayAWatts/st...182020876.html


  6. #36

  7. #37

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sage:
    Not really true, but partially true.

    You can get hit by a side flash - E.g hits a tree you're standing under, and the charge partially arcs across space (normally not more than a foot or two) to hit something else.

    You can also get hit by ground current - The ground around said tree becomes charged and in fact this is the way one is most likely to be killed or injured by lightening, because the catchment area is greater than the likelihood of a direct strike

    There are even cases of people getting 'hit' inside their own home - Touching some conductor (e.g. a kitchen tap) when the building is hit - So @Irish Man 's stern warnings about the dangers of Hiking, really also need to include some warnings about staying inside as well.

    But of course the much greater conductivity of surface water, and greater still of surface salt water (and the fact that you are far more likely to be the highest object in a large radius) makes water borne 'ground current' a bigger risk.
    I never issued a stern warning,my original point was that I personally prefer not to hike in summer,and prefer to do so in winter.


    Anyway, hiking in HK is totally safe and there's no risk whatsoever LOL

    Just leaving this here:

    Google translate if you can't reas Chinese (I can but I don't like to brag)

    https://www.hk01.com/%E5%8D%B3%E6%99...BD%9F%E5%8B%95

  8. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by Irish Man:
    I never issued a stern warning,my original point was that I personally prefer not to hike in summer,and prefer to do so in winter.

    Anyway, hiking in HK is totally safe and there's no risk whatsoever LOL

    Just leaving this here:

    Google translate if you can't reas Chinese (I can but I don't like to brag)
    You know that you can go back and check what you wrote - As can we all, and when it's on the same thread it's exceptionally easy to do so:

    What you wrote:

    It's never a good idea to go hiking in summer: the risk of heatstroke and being struck by lightning,and flash floods too.
    So I'd say: "never make an untrue claim about what you wrote in the same thread; it's never a good look, and you'll never get away it.... never"

    Now onto your article, you have to laugh, and I did, more than once. 10 of the entries involve people 'suddenly fainting' and...

    I see these likely candidates for such a fate when I'm out not too infrequently - Wearing jeans, or long trousers, and some other dumb clothing perfect for raising their body temperature, clearly unfit, small bottle of water, etc etc. So yes being unfit is definitely hazardous to your health.

    So if you want to take a punt and say; unfit people, shouldn't don additional layers of clothing and venture out onto advanced hikes in summer, then yes, you'll get my full ringing endorsement.

  9. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sage:
    You know that you can go back and check what you wrote - As can we all, and when it's on the same thread it's exceptionally easy to do so:

    What you wrote:



    So I'd say: "never make an untrue claim about what you wrote in the same thread; it's never a good look, and you'll never get away it.... never"

    Now onto your article, you have to laugh, and I did, more than once. 10 of the entries involve people 'suddenly fainting' and...

    I see these likely candidates for such a fate when I'm out not too infrequently - Wearing jeans, or long trousers, and some other dumb clothing perfect for raising their body temperature, clearly unfit, small bottle of water, etc etc. So yes being unfit is definitely hazardous to your health.

    So if you want to take a punt and say; unfit people, shouldn't don additional layers of clothing and venture out onto advanced hikes in summer, then yes, you'll get my full ringing endorsement.

    Yeah, it's never a good idea to go hiking in summer, putting it like that is hardly "stern" - you added that description and it's totally subjective

    The experienced hiker getting swept away and killed by flash floods supports this claim

    In fact, this thread wouldn't exist if it wasn't dangerous to hike in summer

    Can you see the irony of you whining at me,for saying summer isn't the best time to hike in HK,in a thread tgat was started because someone went hiking in summer and got struck by lightning and died.

    LOL

    But go and hike in summer,just don't be a drain on the emergency services like all those other idiots who go hiking in summer and get heatstroke.

    Here's a challenge for you:

    Summer isn't the best time to hike because there's a risk of flash floods,being strick by lightning and heatstroke


    Where's the lie?

    Can you actually find something false in my original claim?

    I don't think so.
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  10. #40

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    Quote Originally Posted by Irish Man:
    Here's a challenge for you:
    ......

    Can you actually find something false in my original claim?

    I don't think so.
    Challenge accepted:

    So I've corrected your false statements (plural) for you:

    "Originally Posted by Irish Man:
    It's never a good idea to go hiking in summer: the risk of heatstroke and being struck by lightning,and flash floods too

    It's never a good idea for anyone on Geoxpat with the handle Irish Man to go hiking in summer as I'm unable to deal with the risk of heatstroke and being struck by lightning, and flash floods too
    And

    "Originally Posted by Irish Man:
    I never issued a stern warning,my original point was that I personally prefer not to hike in summer,and prefer to do so in winter.

    I did issue a stern warning, because I used the word 'never' implying that nobody should hike in summer, when really I just meant that I was ill equipped myself to handle it and wanted to warn other suitably ill equiped people to think twice.

    Off Hiking, so signing off now, but I'll let you have the final word on the matter via one of your other comments that contains no falsehoods at all.

    "Originally Posted by Irish Man:
    Yes, people can go hiking in summer,yes it can be done somewhat safely
    Last edited by Sage; 07-08-2022 at 12:05 PM.