WHERE does lightning injure people the MOST?
I don’t give much credence to LISTS. The reason why some of the northern states are high on this list may partly be due to people not taking adequate precautions. Utah, where my friend was killed, is ranked 11th on this particular list. The Fort Benning Incident of 1989: Several thousand lightning-related injuries occur each year in the US, resulting in nearly 600 deaths. Most incidents involve individual victims; GROUP lightning strikes are rare. Ten soldiers were simultaneously injured in a group lighting strike while on training maneuvers at Fort Benning, GA. NO deaths or loss of consciousness occurred, although two of the soldiers had amnesia for the event. All of the soldiers were hospitalized and observed for potential complications. Ninety percent of the soldiers had first-degree skin burns, and ALL had focal muscular tenderness. Transient hypertension and tinnitus were noted in 40% and 20% respectively. ALL 10 soldiers recovered uneventfully and returned to full active duty.
