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2 women injured after lightning strike in Arizona National Park
Duluth

2 women injured after lightning strike in Arizona National Park

Two tourists visiting a national park in Arizona had to be flown to a hospital by helicopter after being struck by lightning, the National Park Service said on Tuesday.

The women, ages 22 and 23, were on vacation from the Netherlands and Australia when they were injured in the lightning strike in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on Monday. The NPS said they were near the edge of the Horseshoe Band when the lightning strike occurred just minutes before 4 p.m.

National Park Service rangers, the Page Fire Department and Classic Air Medical cared for the women until they were flown by helicopter to St. George Regional Hospital in Utah.

As of Wednesday, there was no update from the NPS on the patient’s condition.

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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 40 million lightning strikes occur in the United States each year, but the odds of being struck in a given year are less than 1 in 1 million. From 2006 to 2021, there were 444 deaths from lightning strikes in the United States, with 90% of those struck surviving.

Nevertheless, Arizona is among the ten states with the most deaths and injuries from lightning strikes.

Factors that can increase the risk of being struck by lightning include outdoor recreational activities and the changing seasons. According to the CDC, from 2006 to 2021, nearly two-thirds of all lightning deaths were caused by recreational activities such as fishing, boating, sports, and going to the beach.

To stay safe, the NPS says people should be aware of changing weather conditions when visiting outdoors, especially during monsoon season. This season typically lasts from mid-June to September in Arizona and July to September in Utah, according to the NPS, and can bring more frequent and severe thunderstorms. During thunderstorms, visitors are at a higher risk of being struck by lightning.

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