Teenagers aged 13 to 17 were crossed by an electric arc in a holiday center in Lathus-Saint-Rémy, in Vienne. One of them is in serious condition.
- Get away from the trees
- Respect a distance of 3m with other walkers
- Stay in the water up to your neck if the situation is risky
- Curl up on the ground on an insulation
- Look for a stone shelter and get away from the walls
- Avoid mountain peaks and ridges
They came from Descartes, a small town in Indre-et-Loire, and had traveled a hundred kilometers to go to a summer camp in the village of Lathus-Saint-Rémy. Teenagers were surprised around 7 p.m. on Monday by a rapid thunderstorm, but which left traces.
They were camping on the spot when lightning struck a tree in their camp. The electric charge then diffused all around, hitting sixteen of them and causing the electric meter located not far from the tents to explode. One of the children, aged 15, is in serious condition.
A critical case
“A 15-year-old teenager was in cardio-respiratory arrest,” said the prefecture of Vienne in a press release. He also suffers from burns ”. The SMUR, quickly dispatched to the scene, took charge of the first emergencies and revived the boy, who was subsequently transported by helicopter to the hospital in Tours “in a very worrying state”, specifies the prefecture.
The other 15 victims suffered from milder symptoms, including ringing in the ears and tinnitus for five of them. Two were kept in a continuing care unit, notably for a serious burn to the shoulder, and four were admitted to pediatrics for observation. The others were unharmed or mildly affected, and were able to return home before midnight.
Yellow Vigilance in Vienna
The weather forecast did not suggest such a serious outcome. The department was on yellow alert, unlike several of its neighbors for whom the risk was deemed to be greater. This has not prompted supervisory professionals to take special precautions.
“There was no orange warning for thunderstorms this evening,” indicated the director of the recreation center, Dominique Josso. We are systematically notified when this is the case. The authorities know that we have many children here in tents. When there are alerts, we systematically repatriate them to solid buildings. “
Avoid the trees!
Each year, lightning strikes a hundred people in France, and kills a dozen. The others often suffer from sequelae as a result of cardiac arrests caused by the electric current, or in the nervous system.
But protecting yourself from lightning is not always intuitive. If the search for a permanent shelter is recommended, some do not do the trick: this is for example the case for caravans and motorhomes, whose structure does not have enough metal elements to make a cage. by Faraday. In general, when thunderstorms are forecast, it is best to avoid planning long outings. But, if a thunderstorm surprises you, some instructions must be observed.
First of all, never take shelter under a tree! “The risk of lightning strikes from an isolated tree in an open space is approximately 50 times greater than that of a standing man,” recalls the Lightning Protection association. Then, do not carry any metallic object, such as an umbrella, above your head (the mobile phone can be used).
Spacing, isolation, curling up
For those evolving in groups, individuals must move away at least 3 meters, to avoid the risk of side flashes. Contact with metallic objects such as pylons, poles, fences or even a corded telephone is strongly discouraged.
If you are surprised by a thunderstorm and the situation becomes dangerous, the best solution is to curl up on the ground, if possible on an insulating material, as far as possible from trees, especially those with low branches. Other more specific recommendations for the mountain Where the sea are available on the website of the Lightning Protection association.
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