Lightning strikes tree and sends debris crashing onto man near NC lake, officials say
Lightning struck a tree, sending debris crashing onto a man near a North Carolina lake, news outlets reported.
The man was taken to a hospital after he suffered a serious injury to his head, Jerry Gore, chief of the Lake Waccamaw Fire and Rescue Department, told the Columbus County News.
Firefighters told WECT the man was hit at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 26. It happened near Lake Waccamaw, a body of water that officials say is the “oldest natural freshwater lake” in the state.
The man was outside when a storm came, splitting a tree and causing part of it to fall on him. Pieces of tree also shattered windows and damaged a fence nearby, according to news outlets.
The man, who is in his 40s, went to the Novant Health New Hanover Regional Medical Center for treatment. His condition wasn’t known as of early July 27, WWAY reported.
When storms pop up, people are urged to head indoors as soon as possible. But if there’s nowhere to go, experts say you can take precautions to help avoid lighting strikes, including going to lower ground and steering clear of bodies of water.
“Never shelter under an isolated tree,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wrote on its website. “If you are in a forest, shelter near lower trees.”
The Lake Waccamaw Fire and Rescue Department, based roughly 40 miles northwest of Wilmington, didn’t immediately share additional information with McClatchy News on July 28.
This story was originally published July 28, 2023 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Lightning strikes tree and sends debris crashing onto man near NC lake, officials say."
