Death by lightning can be instantaneous and potentially painless for some due to immediate cardiac or respiratory arrest, but the immense energy causes severe internal and external burns, ruptured organs, brain damage, and paralysis, meaning it's often excruciatingly painful if death isn't immediate, with survivors facing lifelong debilitating injuries, including severe pain, memory loss, and PTSD. The massive electrical shock disrupts the body's electrical systems, leading to catastrophic organ failure and nerve damage, even if the strike isn't a direct hit.
Lightning is a major cause of storm related deaths in the U.S. A lightning strike can result in a cardiac arrest (heart stopping) at the time of the injury, although some victims may appear to have a delayed death a few days later if they are resuscitated but have suffered irreversible brain damage.
Signs and symptoms
Common injuries caused by lightning include: muscle pains, broken bones, cardiac arrest, confusion, hearing loss, seizures, burns, behavioral changes, and ocular cataracts. Loss of consciousness is very common immediately after a strike.
According to the weather service, when lightning strikes a person: The primary injury is to the nervous system, including brain injuries. Lightning can also cause cardiac arrest. Milder symptoms may include muscle soreness, headache, nausea, confusion, memory issues, dizziness and balance problems.
The four-part series is inspired by true events and is based on the 2011 book Destiny of the Republic by Candice Millard. "When I first read Candice's book, I picked it up at the 'buy one, get one free' table at Barnes & Noble," Death by Lightning series creator Mike Makowsky told PEOPLE.
Sudden death following a lightning strike is due to simultaneous cardiac and respiratory arrest and is more common with direct strikes. Typically, patients will have an asystolic arrest due to an immediate and simultaneous depolarization of all myocardial cells.
Therefore, the story of Roy Sullivan, an American forest ranger who was struck by 7 lightning strikes during his lifetime, is a curious one. The fact that none of these 7 impacts caused his death, made him known worldwide as the “lightning rod man”.
Chronic pain, heightened startle response, near total inability to sleep, heart palpitations, headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, memory problems, inability to concentrate, loud ringing in my ears, etc. No severe medical impact. Heart stopped but restarted. Burn marks.
Wait 30 Minutes Or More After The Lightning Flash Before Leaving Shelter. A House, Or Other Fully Enclosed Substantially Constructed Building, Offers Your Best Protection Against Lightning (“substantially constructed” means it has wiring and plumbing). But Stay Away From Telephones, Electrical Appliances, And Plumbing.
– Florida is known as the lightning capital of the U.S., with an average of more than 200 strikes per square mile each year. On average, Florida has 3,500 cloud-to- ground lightning flashes per day and 1.2 million flashes per year.
This can then form ozone, which is three oxygen molecules bonded together. In high concentrations, this can have a pungent smell, similar to chlorine. This is mainly attributed to the ability to “smell” when a storm is about to come.
Those who were harmed with Force lightning often writhed in pain with uncontrollable muscle spasms.
The "lightning 5-second rule" estimates lightning distance: count seconds between seeing a flash and hearing thunder, then divide by 5 to get miles (or by 3 for kilometers) because sound travels about 1 mile every 5 seconds. This helps gauge danger, but if you hear thunder at all, seek shelter immediately, as lightning can strike far from the storm, ideally waiting 30 minutes after the last thunder.
Once inside a sturdy building, stay away from electrical appliances and plumbing fixtures. As an added safety measure, stay in an interior room. If you are inside a vehicle, roll the windows up, and avoid contact with any conducting paths leading to the outside of the vehicle (e.g. radios, CB's, ignition, etc.).
Florida still leads nation in lightning deaths
When it comes to fatal lightning strikes, however, Florida still leads all states by a sizable margin, according to the National Lightning Safety Council. Since 2006, Florida had 97 deaths followed by Texas (42) and Colorado (27), according to a July, 2025 report.
But the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are less than one in a million, and almost 90% of all lightning strike victims survive.
Don't carry any metal objects, such as golf clubs, fishing poles, umbrellas, or backpacks with metal frames. Metal doesn't attract electricity, but it is a good conductor. Your chances of a direct hit are higher when you are carrying a conductor above shoulder level.
Research shows that a lightning strike that makes contact with the ground can travel up to 10 metres. People have even been injured 15 to 30 metres away from where a lightning strike has hit the ground. Ground current and/or side flash are responsible for 60% of lightning injuries or deaths.
Don't take a bath or shower, or wash dishes during a storm. It's essential that people in charge of organized outdoor activities understand the dangers of lightning and have a lightning safety plan. Don't be afraid to ask. If you hear thunder, it's time to get to a safe building or vehicle.
The only cause of death from lightning is from cardiac arrest at the time of the injury, although some may appear to have a delayed death a few days later if they are resuscitated but have suffered irreversible brain damage.
Although large animals are the predominant species affected by lightning strikes, small animals can be exposed, especially during shared outdoor activities with humans. Dogs appear to be more susceptible to lightning injury than humans are. Small dogs are thought to be less susceptible than large dogs.
Is there any sort of warning before lightning strikes? Not necessarily, but sometimes. If you feel a tingling sensation or your hair stands on end, lightning may be about to strike.
National Weather Service Lightning Fatalities in 2025: 20.