| People who are hit by lightning and
survive often have long-term effects. These may include memory loss, sleep
disorders, muscle pain and depression. Expels tell people to seek the safety of a building or a hard-top vehicle(运输工具)anytime they hear thunder, even if it is not raining. They say lightning can strike as far as sixteen kilometers from any rainfall. Lightning can travel sideways. And at least ten percent of lightning happens without any clouds overhead that you can see. People who are outdoors should make sure they are not the tallest thing around. Bend low to the ground, but do not lie down. And do not stand near a tree or any tall subject. Get away from water and anything made of metal. A car is safe, but do not touch any metal inside. Safety experts say people in buildings should stay away from anything with wires or pipes that lead to the outside. The National Weather Service says if you plan to {{U}}disconnect{{/U}} any electronic equipment, do so before the storm arrives. Do not use a wired telephone. Do not use water. All these can carry electricity. Some people think a person struck by lightning carries an electrical charge(电荷) afterward. Experts say this is not true. It is safe to begin emergency treatment. Each year about four hundred people in the United States are struck by lightning. Last year forty four people died. The average is close to seventy. The National Weather Service says that is more than the number of people killed by severe storms. |