2 killed by lightning strike while jet skiing in Puerto Rico

The 2 deaths carry the lightning-related dying toll in the USA and its territories to 17 in 2022 up to now.
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SALINAS, Puerto Rico — Two individuals had been killed by a lightning strike whereas jet snowboarding in Puerto Rico, in response to the Nationwide Climate Service.

The incident occurred throughout a thunderstorm round 5:30 p.m. Sunday in Cayo Matias close to Salinas. Additional particulars in regards to the two victims haven't been launched.  A 3rd individual was injured.

The deaths carry the lightning-related dying toll within the U.S. and its territories to 17 in 2022 up to now, in response to John Jensenius with the Nationwide Lightning Security Council. However it’s the primary lightning-related dying in Puerto Rico since 2017 and solely the fifth since 2006, Jensenius stated.

Nonetheless, it’s the twentieth and twenty first lightning deaths associated to boating since 2006, of which eight of these concerned jet skis.

Jensenius says many lightning fatalities happen from individuals being exterior for prolonged durations as storms strategy or move close by and other people wait “far too lengthy” to get to a protected place that leaves them in a harmful and probably lethal state of affairs.

“If you're exterior, you might be weak to a attainable lightning strike,” Jensenius informed FOX Climate.

He factors to their profitable security message: “When thunder roars, go indoors!”

“That straightforward message can save many lives,” he stated.  “Likelihood is that in case you are listening to any thunder, even a distant rumble, you’re inside placing distance of the storm. Many individuals don’t perceive that lightning can strike greater than 10 miles from the rain space in a thunderstorm and that even a distant rumble of thunder ought to function an instantaneous warning to get inside.”