Expert explains how to stay safe from lightning amid Habagat season

With thunderstorms occurring more frequently during the Habagat season, a forecaster from state weather bureau PAGASA offered tips on how to avoid being struck by lightning. 

According to Oscar Oida’s report on “24 Oras” on Thursday, at least two incidents of death by lightning strike were recorded recently.

One involved two fishermen in Bolinao, Pangasinan while the other incident ended in the death of two young girls in Laurel, Batangas.

A lightning bolt can carry up to one billion volts and a temperature of up to 30,000 degrees Celsius.

Lightning is most likely to strike the highest object in the area. Because of this, PAGASA forecaster Joey Figuracion said, humans are more likely to get struck by lightning when they’re at sea.

“Mas prone ka sa lightning strikes ‘pag nasa dagat kasi relatively even kasi ‘pag dagat e, ibig sabihin ikaw lang ‘yung protruding, ikaw lang ‘yung pinakamataas doon,” he explained.

“So since dahil conductor ka, mas malaking tsansa na mas una kang tatamaan ‘pag nasa dagat ka,” he added.

Figuracion said there are some ways to keep safe from lightning amid thundestorms.

“Kung nasa open space po kayo tulad ng palayan, maaari po tayong mag-duck lang tayo o huwag tayong tumayo para maiwasan na mas nakaangat tayo,” he explained.

He added that even those inside their homes during thunderstorms are not completely safe from lightning strikes.

“‘Yung lightning strike po kasi dumadaan ‘yan sa mga wiring o sa kuryente. So ating payo na ating putulin ‘yung connection,” Figuracion said.

“Anong ibig sabihin no’n? Kung meron tayong breaker, i-switch off lang po natin lalong lalo na kung may mga appliances tayo na naka-on, patayin lang muna po.” — Julia Mari Ornedo/BM, GMA News