A video shared on Twitter by “Wonder of Science” brings out the dangers of standing under a tree during a thunderstorm. Lightning can be seen striking a tree, setting it on fire, and shocking the cameraperson.
The video has garnered almost 750,000 views and thousands of likes and retweets.
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“That poor tree ain’t ever growing leaves again,” one user wrote. “Standing under a tree is literally the worst place to be. This is the most unsafe place to be during a storm,” another commented.
“Approximately how far from the tree would a person have to be to make an easier lightning rod than the tree itself?” a viewer wondered.
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To which someone replied, “You don’t have to be under it to be electrocuted, voltage potential radiates out across the ground, one foot could become charged relative to the other and pop goes your heart.”
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Out of 10 people struck by lightning, nine will live. But they could exhibit a variety of short- and long-term symptoms such as cardiac arrest, confusion, seizures, dizziness, muscle aches, deafness, headaches, memory deficit, distractibility, personality changes and chronic pain.