As Typhoon Bavi approaches, all of Taiwan is busy preparing for the typhoon, but besides strong winds and heavy rain, the accompanying risk of lightning strikes cannot be ignored. Just recently, a 13-year-old boy from Texas, USA was playing video games at home during a thunderstorm, but was unexpectedly struck by lightning.
Although such cases are extremely rare, the fact is that when a thunderstorm is raging outside, there are still many risks even when staying indoors. Therefore, many weather experts advise the public that during heavy rain or typhoons, when there is thunder activity in the area near your home, to avoid prolonged use of wired electronic devices and try not to bathe, wash hands, or use water faucets, in order to reduce the risk of being struck by lightning.
This 13-year-old boy named Vlad Skuridin lives in Texas, USA. The incident happened on the evening of July 7th, when there was a thunderstorm outside. He was huddled at home playing video games, but never in his wildest dreams did he expect that a bolt of lightning would strike his house directly. The powerful current immediately spread through the wiring in the house, and finally traveled through his metal computer desk directly into his abdomen. The sudden electric shock sent him flying and he kept screaming. In his recollection afterward, he said it was extremely painful at the moment, and for a while he thought he was going to die.
Fortunately, the boy’s father was also at home at the time, and he immediately called 911 for help after the incident. After the paramedics arrived and examined him, they confirmed that the boy was not in any life-threatening danger and did not need to be taken to the hospital for treatment. Although he suffered no permanent injuries, he admitted that he still felt a bit dizzy afterward, and it also gave this young boy a profound sense of awareness that life can end at any moment.
Although Vlad Skuridin was ultimately unharmed, his family’s house was not so fortunate. The powerful current from the lightning strike traveled along the house’s electrical wiring, briefly igniting the attic, and even blowing a hole in one of the walls. However, the fire was quickly contained, and the house suffered no other more serious damage. As for whether the gaming equipment the boy was playing with at the time was damaged, the relevant reports did not mention.
Even though the probability of such things happening isn’t very high, players do occasionally see similar cases. For example, many Twitch streamers have experienced their stream video and audio suddenly distort due to electrical current from lightning strikes during broadcasts. One streamer was even injured because the electrical current was directly transmitted through their wired earphones to their ears. Additionally, damage to game controllers and computer equipment caused by lightning strikes is even more common.
According to meteorological experts’ warnings, it’s best to stay alert to lightning strikes during heavy rain or typhoons. If you must use electronic devices indoors during this time, experts also recommend prioritizing battery-powered devices such as phones, tablets, or laptops that aren’t plugged in, and avoiding having devices directly connected to the household electrical circuit.
On the other hand, extension cords or surge protectors may not completely prevent similar situations. If weather forecasts show that thunderstorms or typhoons will bring severe lightning, the safest practice is to unplug valuable electronic devices such as computers, TVs, and gaming consoles in advance to reduce the risk of personal injury and property damage.
Once again, a reminder to everyone: never take electrical safety lightly during thunderstorms. After all, while staying home and playing video games during a typhoon may seem very safe, if there’s lightning occurring in the area around your home, it’s best to temporarily put down any wired devices and wait until the weather calms down a bit before continuing to play. This way, you can truly enjoy your games with peace of mind and avoid damaging your beloved gaming equipment.
Source: KOCPC Chinese