Lightning strikes most often in the open air and near lone trees — Professor of RTU MIREA

Why you shouldn't use a mobile phone during a thunderstorm and how to protect equipment

Professor of the Department of Nanoelectronics of RTU MIREA Alexey Yurasov warned that a person is most likely to be struck by lightning in an open space — while moving quickly or using a mobile phone during a thunderstorm.

Particularly dangerous are solitary trees. At the same time, buildings with closed windows provide reliable protection against lightning.

Yurasov noted that lightning causes powerful electromagnetic pulses that travel through electrical lines and can lead to power surges, damage to electronics, and even fires, sometimes with a delay of up to eight hours after the strike.

Lightning rods and lightning protection cables are used to protect against direct lightning strikes. Modern ships and airplanes are designed to minimize the risk to people even in the event of a direct lightning strike.

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Sources
RT

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