Twelve people, including several kids, went to the hospital after lightning hit the water near swimmers at a lake in South Carolina, even though the weather looked clear at the time. CTV
A sudden lightning strike at a popular lake in South Carolina sent 12 people to the hospital on Tuesday afternoon. The incident happened at Dominion Beach Park, near Lake Murray Dam, where several children and adults were enjoying the water.
Lightning Hits Without Warning
Officials said emergency teams rushed to the scene and checked on 20 people, including 12 children. They treated 18 of them on-site, and 12 needed hospital care. Fortunately, all injuries were minor, and everyone is expected to recover. According to authorities, none of the injuries were life-threatening.
The park closed soon after the incident. It was expected to reopen the next day after safety checks and permission from local officials.
Sunny Weather Turns Dangerous
What made this event surprising is that the weather seemed fine. The sky was mostly sunny with only a few clouds nearby when the lightning hit. According to the Irmo Fire District, lightning struck the water just as people were swimming near a floating metal cable marked with buoys. Many swimmers were holding onto this cable at the time.
“Everybody got quite a jolt,” said the fire department in a social media post. “We’re lucky things weren’t more serious.”
The most injured people were those in direct contact with the cable. The fire department said some suffered minor burns but were quickly treated. All victims were expected to recover fully.
Experts Explain the Rare Event
Meteorologists said this type of strike is rare but dangerous. Matt Gropp, a weather expert from the National Weather Service in Columbia, called it a “bolt from the blue.” He explained that while the sky above the lake was clear, a thunderstorm a few miles away may have sent the lightning bolt across the open sky.
The lightning that hit the lake was likely one of the first strikes from the distant storm. Because the storm was not directly overhead, people at the lake didn’t expect any danger. Gropp explained that it didn’t even rain at the beach, which made the strike even more unexpected.
Park Expected to Reopen Soon
Officials closed the beach area immediately after the lightning strike. They wanted to make sure the area was safe before letting people back in. After a full safety check, the beach was expected to open again on Wednesday.
Experts always advise people to leave the water as soon as they hear thunder or see dark clouds. Even if a storm looks far away, lightning can strike many miles from the center of a storm cloud.
