Cómo sobrevivir a un rayo o, mejor aún, evitar que te impacte uno

(CNN) -- Sin duda hay peligros más apremiantes que el de ser alcanzado por un rayo: según los Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades de EE.UU. (CDC, por sus siglas en inglés), la probabilidad de ser alcanzado por un rayo es inferior a una entre un millón. Pero a veces sucede, como lo han demostrado algunos casos recientes.

El viernes, un rayo terminó con la vida de una madre que recogía a su hijo del colegio en Florida. Y a principios de agosto, un rayo mató a tres personas que se refugiaban bajo un árbol cerca de la Casa Blanca.

Hasta ahora, 14 personas han muerto por la caída de rayos en Estados Unidos en 2022, según el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional, frente a las 11 muertes de 2021.

Pero se trata de grupos minúsculos si se tiene en cuenta que la población del país supera los 300 millones de habitantes y que hay más de 25 millones de rayos al año en Estados Unidos, según el Servicio Meteorológico. También cabe destacar que el 90% de las víctimas de los rayos sobreviven.

Aun así, hay algunas cosas que puedes hacer para reducir tus posibilidades.

Cuando el trueno ruge, entra a casa

El Servicio Meteorológico Nacional tiene un lema sencillo pero eficaz: "Cuando el trueno ruge, entra a casa".

En cuanto oigas un trueno, veas un relámpago o el cielo parezca amenazante, debes dirigirte al interior de tu casa lo antes posible.

"Lo más importante es que estés a salvo dentro de un edificio grande y sustancial o de un vehículo totalmente cerrado y con techo metálico", dijo a CNN Ron Holle, meteorólogo y especialista en seguridad contra rayos del Consejo Nacional de Seguridad contra Rayos. "Cualquier lugar fuera de esos dos lugares no es seguro".

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Un edificio importante significa una estructura con cableado y fontanería adecuados, explicó Holle. Las tiendas de campaña, los cobertizos, las casetas y los refugios de picnic no están a salvo de los rayos.

Esto se debe a que cuando un rayo impacta en una casa u otro edificio, viaja a través de la fontanería y el cableado hasta las barras de conexión a tierra que canalizan de forma segura toda esa electricidad hacia la tierra. Una tienda de campaña o un refugio más pequeño no ofrecen esa protección.

Si oyes un trueno mientras estás de acampada o en la playa, sin acceso a un edificio grande, debes buscar refugio inmediatamente en un vehículo.

Debes esperar 30 minutos desde la última vez que se escuchó un trueno para salir del vehículo, según el servicio meteorológico.

Los ciclistas o motociclistas que escuchen truenos deben detenerse en un edificio seguro y también esperar hasta que hayan pasado 30 minutos desde el último estruendo.

Cómo evitar los rayos en interiores

Vale, oíste un trueno y te metiste en un edificio adecuado. Buenas noticias: "Estás infinitamente más seguro dentro que fuera", dice Holle.

El siguiente paso es cerrar las ventanas y evitar el uso de aparatos eléctricos con cable, según el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional.

"No querrás estar pegado al cableado y a las tuberías, esto es sujetar un teléfono con cable, o agarrando un aparato cuando un rayo caiga en la casa", explicó Holle. "Tener las manos pegadas al agua que fluye en el lavabo o la bañera" también supone un riesgo, dijo.

También hay que mantenerse alejado de balcones, porches, garajes, ventanas y puertas al exterior, dice el servicio meteorológico.

Y si el exterior no es seguro para los humanos durante una tormenta, tampoco lo es para las mascotas. Guarda a tus mascotas lo antes posible cuando oigas un trueno, según el Servicio Meteorológico. Las casetas para perros no protegen de los rayos y los perros atados a los árboles corren un peligro especial, dice la agencia.

Deja el viaje en barco para otro día

Según el Servicio Meteorológico, la mayoría de las embarcaciones grandes con camarote son bastante seguras durante una tormenta, pero las embarcaciones pequeñas sin camarote son otra historia.

"La gran mayoría de las lesiones y muertes por rayos en los barcos se producen en embarcaciones pequeñas SIN cabina", dice el Servicio Meteorológico. "Es crucial escuchar la información meteorológica cuando se está navegando".

El servicio aconseja a la gente que no salga a navegar cuando se prevean tormentas eléctricas. Si se oyen truenos mientras se está en el agua, hay que volver a tierra lo antes posible, e idealmente alejarse al menos 100 metros de la orilla.

Si no puedes llegar a la orilla, debes echar el ancla, descender lo más posible y permanecer en el interior de la cabina, y mantenerte alejado de cualquier superficie metálica, como la radio que podría haber estado utilizando para seguir el tiempo en primer lugar.

Pero si no estás en el barco, o el barco no tiene cabina, es mejor permanecer en aguas profundas durante la tormenta en lugar de regresar a bordo, según la agencia meteorológica.

Un último recurso: mantenerse seguro al aire libre

Una estrategia clave para evitar los rayos es la concienciación y la planificación.

Lee la previsión meteorológica para saber si se esperan tormentas en los lugares donde vas a estar. Programa tu horario para evitar estar al aire libre cuando se esperan tormentas. También se pueden utilizar equipos profesionales de detección de rayos para alertar cuando se acercan los rayos.

"Si estás en el exterior, eres muy vulnerable a los rayos", afirma Holle.

Si no es posible entrar a casa, hay algunas cosas que pueden reducir ligeramente el riesgo.

En caso de tormenta, evita los campos abiertos, la cima de una colina o montaña, dice el servicio meteorológico.

Asimismo, debes alejarte de los objetos altos y aislados, como los árboles, y abandonar inmediatamente cualquier masa de agua. Por supuesto, también querrás evitar cualquier elemento húmedo o metálico que pueda conducir la electricidad.

Las zonas bajas, como los valles y barrancos, son una apuesta más segura. Si estás en un grupo, sepáralo para evitar que la corriente se transmita entre las personas, dice el servicio meteorológico. Y no te acuestes en el suelo.

Sin embargo, Holle señaló que las pruebas de muchas de estas estrategias para evitar los rayos aún no están claras.

Lo más importante es estar en un lugar cerrado: casi todas las muertes por rayos en Estados Unidos en las últimas décadas se han producido en el exterior, dijo.

Los rayos en el mundo

"La mayoría de la gente en EE.UU. tiene un edificio seguro contra los rayos o un vehículo seguro contra los rayos muy cerca, y simplemente tienen que ir allí", dijo Holle. "Este no es el caso de millones de personas en todo el mundo".

En 2016, el principal punto de rayos del mundo era el lago Maracaibo, en Venezuela. Pero África es el continente con el mayor número de estos focos, según la NASA, con seis de los 10 principales focos de rayos del mundo que se encuentran allí. La mayoría son lagos, incluido el lago Victoria, que se extiende por Kenya, Uganda y Tanzania.

Holle colabora con una organización llamada ACLENet, cuyo objetivo es reducir las muertes, lesiones y daños materiales causados por los rayos en toda África. La organización tiene su sede en Uganda, donde todavía se producen con regularidad muertes de personas en el interior de casas sin cableado ni tuberías.

La organización aboga por una mejor educación en materia de seguridad contra los rayos y por la instalación de sistemas funcionales de protección contra los rayos en las escuelas y otros edificios.

Sobrevivir a un rayo

Aunque la gran mayoría de las víctimas de un rayo sobreviven, los efectos pueden ser graves y duraderos.

Los sobrevivientes han sufrido lesiones debilitantes, quemaduras y discapacidades continuas, incluyendo síntomas como convulsiones y pérdida de memoria.

Si a alguien de tu entorno le cae un rayo, llama inmediatamente al 911, dice el Servicio Meteorológico Nacional.

Una persona que fue alcanzada por un rayo no tiene carga eléctrica, según los CDC, por lo que es seguro tocarla y moverla. Llévala al interior si es posible. Es posible que el corazón o la respiración de la víctima se hayan detenido y que necesiten reanimación cardiopulmonar.

También hay organizaciones que ofrecen recursos para los sobrevivientes, como Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors International, que promueve la investigación médica y el apoyo continuo a los sobrevivientes de rayos y lesiones eléctricas.

How to survive a lightning strike or, better yet, avoid being struck by one

(CNN) -- There are certainly more pressing dangers than being struck by lightning: according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the chance of being struck by lightning is less than one in a million. But sometimes it happens, as recent cases have shown.

On Friday, a lightning strike ended the life of a mother picking up her son from school in Florida. And in early August, lightning killed three people sheltering under a tree near the White House.

So far, 14 people have died from lightning strikes in the United States in 2022, according to the National Weather Service, up from 11 deaths in 2021.

But these are minuscule groups considering that the country's population exceeds 300 million and that there are more than 25 million lightning strikes per year in the United States, according to the Weather Service. It should also be noted that 90% of lightning victims survive.

Still, there are some things you can do to reduce your chances.

When the thunder roars, enter the house

The National Weather Service has a simple but effective motto: "When the thunder roars, come indoors."

As soon as you hear thunder, see lightning or the sky looks threatening, you should head indoors as soon as possible.

"The most important thing is that you are safe inside a large, substantial building or a fully enclosed, metal-roofed vehicle," Ron Holle, a meteorologist and lightning safety specialist with the National Lightning Safety Council, told CNN. "Anywhere outside of those two locations is not safe."

A major building means a structure with proper wiring and plumbing, Holle explained. Tents, sheds, huts and picnic shelters are not safe from lightning strikes.

This is because when lightning strikes a house or other building, it travels through the plumbing and wiring to the grounding rods that safely channel all that electricity to the earth. A tent or smaller shelter does not offer such protection.

If you hear thunder while camping or on the beach, without access to a large building, you should immediately seek shelter in a vehicle.

You must wait 30 minutes from the last time thunder was heard to exit the vehicle, according to the weather service.

Bicyclists or motorcyclists who hear thunder should stop at a safe building and also wait until 30 minutes have passed since the last rumble.

How to avoid lightning indoors

Okay, you heard thunder and got into a suitable building. Good news: "You're infinitely safer inside than outside," says Holle.

The next step is to close windows and avoid using corded electrical appliances, according to the National Weather Service.

"You don't want to be glued to wiring and pipes, this is holding a corded phone, or grabbing an appliance when lightning strikes the house," Holle explained. "Having your hands stuck in flowing water in the sink or bathtub" also poses a risk, he said.

Also stay away from balconies, porches, garages, windows and doors to the outside, the weather service says.

And if the outdoors isn't safe for humans during a storm, it's not safe for pets either. Put your pets away as soon as possible when you hear thunder, according to the Weather Service. Doghouses do not protect from lightning and dogs tied to trees are in particular danger, the agency says.

Save the boat trip for another day

According to the Weather Service, most large vessels with cabins are quite safe during a storm, but small vessels without cabins are a different story.

"The vast majority of boating lightning injuries and fatalities occur on small boats WITHOUT a cabin," says the Weather Service. "It is crucial to listen to weather information when sailing."

The service advises people not to go boating when thunderstorms are forecast. If you hear thunder while in the water, return to land as soon as possible, and ideally move at least 100 meters away from the shore.

If you can't make it to shore, you should drop anchor, descend as far as possible and stay inside the cabin, and stay away from any metal surfaces, such as the radio you might have been using to keep track of the weather in the first place.

But if you're not on the boat, or the boat doesn't have a cabin, it's better to stay in deep water during the storm rather than return on board, according to the weather agency.

A last resort: staying safe outdoors

A key strategy to avoid lightning strikes is awareness and planning.

Read the weather forecast to know if thunderstorms are expected in the places where you will be. Program your schedule to avoid being outdoors when thunderstorms are expected. Professional lightning detection equipment can also be used to alert when lightning is approaching.

"If you're outdoors, you're very vulnerable to lightning," Holle says.

If it is not possible to enter the house, there are a few things that can slightly reduce the risk.

In the event of a storm, avoid open fields, the top of a hill or mountain, the weather service says.

You should also move away from tall, isolated objects, such as trees, and immediately leave any body of water. Of course, you'll also want to avoid any wet or metallic items that can conduct electricity.

Low areas, such as valleys and ravines, are a safer bet. If you are in a group, spread it out to prevent the current from being transmitted between people, the weather service says. And don't lie on the floor.

However, Holle noted that the evidence for many of these lightning avoidance strategies is still unclear.

The most important thing is to be indoors: almost all lightning deaths in the United States in recent decades have occurred outdoors, he said.

Lightning in the world

"Most people in the U.S. have a lightning-safe building or a lightning-safe vehicle very close by, and they just have to go there," Holle said. "This is not the case for millions of people around the world."

In 2016, the world's leading lightning spot was Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. But Africa is the continent with the largest number of such foci, according to NASA, with six of the world's top 10 lightning foci found there. Most are lakes, including Lake Victoria, which spans Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Holle collaborates with an organization called ACLENet, which aims to reduce deaths, injuries and property damage caused by lightning strikes across Africa. The organization is based in Uganda, where deaths of people still occur regularly inside houses without wiring and plumbing.

The organization advocates better lightning safety education and the installation of functional lightning protection systems in schools and other buildings.

Surviving a lightning strike

Although the vast majority of lightning victims survive, the effects can be severe and long-lasting.

Survivors have suffered debilitating injuries, burns and ongoing disabilities, including symptoms such as seizures and memory loss.

If someone around you is struck by lightning, call 911 immediately, says the National Weather Service.

A person struck by lightning has no electrical charge, according to the CDC, so it is safe to touch and move them. Take it indoors if possible. The victim's heart or breathing may have stopped and may require cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

There are also organizations that provide resources for survivors, such as Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors International, which promotes medical research and ongoing support for survivors of lightning and electrical injuries.

How to survive a lightning strike -- or, better yet, avoid getting struck by lightning

(CNN) -- There are certainly more pressing dangers than being struck by lightning: according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the chance of being struck by lightning is less than one in a million. But sometimes it happens, as recent cases have shown.

On Friday, a lightning strike ended the life of a mother picking up her child from school in Florida. And in early August, a lightning strike killed three people sheltering under a tree near the White House.

So far, 14 people have died from lightning strikes in the United States in 2022, according to the National Weather Service, up from 11 deaths in 2021.

But these are minuscule groups when you consider that the country's population exceeds 300 million and that there are more than 25 million lightning strikes per year in the United States, according to the Weather Service. It's also worth noting that 90% of lightning victims survive.

Still, there are some things you can do to reduce your chances.

When thunder roars, go indoors.

The National Weather Service has a simple but effective motto: "When thunder roars, come indoors."

As soon as you hear thunder, see lightning or the sky looks threatening, you should head indoors as soon as possible.

"The most important thing is to be safe inside a large, substantial building or a fully enclosed, metal-roofed vehicle," Ron Holle, a meteorologist and lightning safety specialist with the National Lightning Safety Council, told CNN. "Anywhere outside of those two locations is not safe."

A substantial building means a structure with adequate wiring and plumbing, Holle explained. Tents, sheds, shacks and picnic shelters are not safe from lightning.

That's because when lightning strikes a home or other building, it travels through the plumbing and wiring to the grounding rods that safely channel all that electricity to the earth. A tent or smaller shelter offers no such protection.

If you hear thunder while camping or on the beach, without access to a large building, you should immediately seek shelter in a vehicle.

You should wait 30 minutes from the last time thunder was heard to exit the vehicle, according to the weather service.

Bicyclists or motorcyclists who hear thunder should stop at a safe building and also wait until 30 minutes have passed since the last rumble.

How to avoid lightning indoors

Okay, you heard thunder and got into a suitable building. Good news: "You're infinitely safer inside than outside," Holle says.

The next step is to close windows and avoid using corded electrical appliances, according to the National Weather Service.

"You don't want to be glued to wiring and pipes, that's holding a corded phone, or grabbing a device when lightning strikes the house," Holle explained. "Having your hands glued to flowing water in the sink or bathtub" also poses a risk, he said.

Also stay away from balconies, porches, garages, windows and doors to the outdoors, the weather service says.

And if the outdoors isn't safe for humans during a storm, it's not safe for pets either. Put your pets away as soon as possible when you hear thunder, according to the Weather Service. Doghouses don't protect from lightning, and dogs tied to trees are in particular danger, the agency says.

Save the boat ride for another day

According to the Weather Service, most large boats with cabins are fairly safe during a storm, but small boats without cabins are another story.

"The vast majority of boating lightning injuries and deaths occur on small boats WITHOUT cabins," says the Weather Service. "It is crucial to listen to weather information when underway."

The service advises people not to go boating when thunderstorms are forecast. If you hear thunder while on the water, get back to land as soon as possible, and ideally get at least 100 yards away from shore.

If you can't make it to shore, you should drop anchor, go as low as possible and stay inside the cabin, and stay away from any metal surfaces, such as the radio you might have been using to follow the weather in the first place.

But if you're not on the boat, or the boat doesn't have a cabin, it's best to stay in deep water during the storm rather than return aboard, according to the weather agency.

One last resort: staying safe outdoors

A key strategy for avoiding lightning is awareness and planning.

Read the weather forecast to know if thunderstorms are expected where you will be. Schedule your schedule to avoid being outdoors when storms are expected. You can also use professional lightning detection equipment to alert you when lightning is approaching.

"If you're outdoors, you're very vulnerable to lightning," Holle says.

If it's not possible to go indoors, there are a few things that can slightly reduce the risk.

In the event of a thunderstorm, avoid open fields, the top of a hill or mountain, the weather service says.

Also, you should stay away from tall, isolated objects, such as trees, and immediately leave any bodies of water. Of course, you'll also want to avoid any wet or metal items that can conduct electricity.

Low-lying areas, such as valleys and ravines, are a safer bet. If you're in a group, spread it out to prevent the current from being transmitted between people, the weather service says. And don't lie on the ground.

However, Holle noted that the evidence for many of these lightning-avoidance strategies is still unclear.

The most important is to be indoors: nearly all lightning deaths in the United States in recent decades have occurred outdoors, he said.

Lightning around the world

"Most people in the U.S. have a lightning-safe building or a lightning-safe vehicle very close by, and they just have to go there," Holle said. "This is not the case for millions of people around the world."

In 2016, the world's top lightning spot was Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. But Africa is the continent with the largest number of such hotspots, according to NASA, with six of the world's top 10 lightning hotspots found there. Most are lakes, including Lake Victoria, which spans Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Holle collaborates with an organization called ACLENet, which aims to reduce deaths, injuries and property damage caused by lightning across Africa. The organization is based in Uganda, where deaths of people still occur regularly inside houses without wiring and plumbing.

The organization advocates for better lightning safety education and the installation of functional lightning protection systems in schools and other buildings.

Surviving a lightning strike

Although the vast majority of lightning victims survive, the effects can be severe and long-lasting.

Survivors have suffered debilitating injuries, burns and ongoing disabilities, including symptoms such as seizures and memory loss.

If someone around you is struck by lightning, call 911 immediately, says the National Weather Service.

A person struck by lightning has no electrical charge, according to the CDC, so it is safe to touch and move them. Bring them indoors if possible. The victim's heart or breathing may have stopped and they may need CPR.

There are also organizations that offer resources for survivors, such as Lightning Strike and Electric Shock Survivors International, which promotes medical research and ongoing support for survivors of lightning strikes and electrical injuries.