The Goan police confirmed on Sunday that a 35-year-old south Delhi resident died due to lightning strike while holidaying in Goa. The victim, identified as Chaitanya Nagpal, was with his pregnant wife at the Candolim beach when the tragic incident took place on October 4 at around 3:50 pm.
As per the reports, the victim was apparently trying to take a selfie when the lightning struck. According to a report on Times Now News, lifeguards heard a scream after a massive thunder and rushed for help. However, despite the first aid procedures and CPR, the male victim did not survive. The female was disoriented after the incident and was taken to the hospital.
The incident has raised questions over the susceptibility of mobile phones for lightning strikes. Studies, however, suggest that the chances of getting struck by lightning due to the usage of a mobile phone are very less. It could happen, more because the person using the phone being the tallest thing in the surrounding. However, the claim that radiowaves or the metal inside the cell phone attract lightning is not backed by any scientific evidence.
The recently released ‘Mid-Monsoon Lightning Report 2019’ suggests that within just four months from April to July, India witnessed a whopping 65 lakh lightning strikes, and at least 1311 people have fallen prey to these natural electrical discharges. Lightning is the deadliest natural calamity, killing more people than even the floods and cyclone. More than 70% of the people die due to standing under a tree during thunderstorms. Therefore, avoiding trees, open spaces and large metallic structures is much more crucial, say experts.
