In the wake of two serious lightning incidents in Ontario in the past week — Environment Canada wants people to realize how dangerous and deadly thunder storms can be.
Senior Climatologist David Phillips says lightning kills more Canadians than any other weather event with about 10 people dying every year after being struck.
He says up to 160 people will be injured some seriously and will end with disabilities that will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Phillips says people should be aware of and practice the 30-30 rules.
If there is 30 seconds between a lightning flash and thunder, its time to seek shelter from the storm in a safe place.
Phillips also says proximity to water is something you should try to avoid at all costs during a thunder storm as water is an excellent conductor of Lightning.
He says the death of a Sarnia area lady on a beach shows how dangerous it is to be near water.
Phillips also says once a thunderstorm passes, people should remain indoors for about half an hour because there is a good possibility lightning strikes can still occur despite the fact the clouds may be several miles away.
He says in fact more people are killed by lightning after a storm than before because there are more targets out there.
Phillips says lightning bolts can travel dozens of miles through the atmosphere even after a s has passed.
He says if you do get caught outside during a storm, crouch down, and stand on your tip toes to try and reduce your contact with the earth so you are not a good conductor of electricity.