EXPLAINER: Lightning types and how to stay safe

A bolt of lightning struck a coconut tree just meters away from a couple driving along a road in Hinigaran, Negros Occidental, leaving them shaken but unharmed.

Emman Onteveros and his wife, Toni, were traveling when lightning lit up the sky, followed by a deafening sound.

"Sobrang lakas ng tunog. Medyo nabulag din ako nun. Parang naglalaro ka lang ng video games tapos nahagisan ka ng flash," Onteveros recalled in Kuya Kim's report on "24 Oras" on Wednesday.

(It was extremely loud. I was almost blinded for a moment. It felt like you were playing video games and suddenly got hit by a flash.)

"More or less 15-20 meters lang yung distansya. Hinigpitan ko na yung manibela. Safe naman ho kami lahat," he said.

(The distance was more or less 15 to 20 meters away. I tightened my grip on the steering wheel. We were all safe.)

Still, the incident, which was captured by a dashboard camera, left his wife traumatized.

"Medyo nanginginig, hanggang pag-uwi namin sa bahay," Onteveros said.

(She was trembling even after we got home.)

Lightning forms when there is a large difference in electrical charges within a storm cloud, the report said.

PAGASA weather specialist John Manalo explained that as ice particles inside the cloud move upward and downward, positive and negative charges separate.

There are several types of lightning.

Intra-cloud or in-cloud lightning occurs within a thundercloud unit. Cloud-to-cloud lightning starts in one cloud unit and ends in another.

In cloud-to-ground lightning—the type captured in Onteveros' video—the electrical discharge travels from a thundercloud to the ground.

Cloud-to-ground lightning is considered the most dangerous because it can strike people, trees, buildings, and other structures.

Although a lightning strike lasts for only about 0.01 to 0.1 seconds, it carries enormous energy—more than 300 million volts—and can reach temperatures of around 30,000 Kelvin, or nearly five times hotter than the surface of the Sun.

When lightning strikes a person, it can lead to cardiac arrest, brain damage, or even death.

To reduce the risk of lightning injuries, Kuya Kim advises the public to follow the "30-30 Rule."

If you see lightning, start counting to 30. If you hear thunder within 30 seconds, immediately seek shelter. Stay indoors for at least 30 minutes.

Even while indoors, people are advised to avoid using corded equipment and electronic devices. People should also stay away from windows, doors, and concrete walls or floors. —VBL, GMA News