What to do during lightning and severe storms: simple rules

Thunderstorms are intense precipitation or rain with hail accompanied by strong electrical discharges in the atmosphere (lightning). Lightning is often accompanied by an audible boom (thunder). This article by Kyiv Online contains tips for guidance that will help you learn more about how to act in difficult situations.

Such a natural phenomenon can cause fires, and lightning strikes can tear through tree trunks and walls, tear off stone slabs of roofing and walls weighing up to 100 kg and throw them several metres away. Thin wires can also catch fire, and electrical, telephone and other installations based on metal wires can be damaged. Lightning can destroy electrical appliances, and being struck by it can cause serious bodily injury or death.

Thunderstorms and lightning – how to protect yourself

After a storm warning is issued, you should:

• listen to weather forecasts and local media reports;
• in case of strong gusts of wind, avoid staying in open spaces, it is best to seek shelter in a building;
• remove (or secure) objects that can be blown away by the wind from the balcony, terrace, yard and courtyard (flower pots, clothes dryers, bird feeders, furniture, etc.)
  in your apartment or house, close the windows and check their locks (if necessary, securely lock them);
• strong winds can damage high-voltage lines and cause power outages – have candles, matches, a battery-powered dynamo or flashlight, a battery-powered radio and spare batteries at home;
• when outdoors, try not to stand under trees, get close to buildings, stop under power lines, signs, billboards, scaffolding, etc.;
  charge mobile phones;
• do not park vehicles near trees, scaffolding, steel structures, billboards, power lines;
• ensure the safety of animals you keep outdoors, lock them in appropriately prepared premises;
• when driving a car, be especially careful when driving into the open from a road covered by screens, buildings or trees;
• remember that during strong winds, the temperature felt by a person is several degrees lower than that indicated by the thermometer.

It’s a good idea to prepare your family for what to do after you hear the weather forecast or read a warning about the possibility of high winds, heavy rain and hail:

• make sure all members of your family know what to do during a storm and teach them how to turn off gas, water and electricity.
• develop an emergency communication plan for situations where family members are separated (a realistic scenario is when adults are at work and children are at school).

If you see a cloud with a very dark base, and you can see flashes and hear distant thunder, you should immediately leave the park, forest or other place in the field and return home or to another safe place immediately.

As a reminder, a tornado was approaching Kyiv in June.