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satmap.com | [email protected] | 01372 869 070NEWSStrike force
FATALITIES FROM LIGHTNING
STRIKES are rare in the UK,
but the tragic death of Isobel
Bytautus in June has brought
the question of what to do in
these situations into focus.
Ms Bytautus was with
a group from Linlithgow
Ramblers when she was struck
on Na Gruagaichean in the
Mamores. One other lady was
injured (and is recovering) and
the other five members of the
group were unhurt, showing
what a freak occurrence this is.
Andy Nelson of Glencoe
MRT, who answered the
group’s distress call, said that
the ridge “looked as if a bomb
had gone off” with rocks flung
into the air. There can be few
things more terrifying than this,
so what precautions can you
take in a thunderstorm?
The first advice is to
check the forecast before
you go, and if there is a high
risk of thunderstorms, keep
to sheltered areas or even
postpone your walk altogether.
If you are caught on exposed
ground, the general advice is:- Do not shelter under a tree.
Lightning often hits trees
and you could be caught. - Place any metallic or
electrical devices at least 20
metres away from you. This
includes ice axes, poles, GPS
trackers, etc.- Keep clear of standing water,
which can attract lightning. - Above all, move to lower
ground if it is safe to do so. - If you are caught with
nowhere to go, sit on your
rucksack (which can act as
an insulator) and try to keep
your feet off the ground. - Storms tend to pass through
quite quickly – the one in
the Mamores lasted less
than half an hour – and you
can tell from the interval
between the flash and the
bang whether the storm is
nearing or receding. The rule
of thumb is 300 metres for
every second, so if there is a
gap of 4 seconds, the strike
was just over a kilometre
a w ay.
These are general guidelines
but they should be borne in
mind – especially when you
consider that a lightning strike
is thought to be equivalent
to 30,000 amps of electrical
power.
The most recent previous
incident that we can find was
of two walkers being killed
by lightning in the Brecon
Beacons in July 2015, so the
odds of it happening to you are
quite low. No harm though in
being prepared.
Roger Smith
What to do in a thunderstorm
Photo credit: ShutterstockAugust 2019 The Great Outdoors 11