Photo credit: www.dexerto.com
A 17-year-old girl recently experienced a shocking incident when she was struck by lightning while using her phone. The event occurred after lightning hit her home and surged through her charger while she was scrolling through TikTok.
Experts have long advised against using electronic devices while they are charging, though technology has evolved in ways that may diminish the urgency of this warning. Nevertheless, when lightning strikes a structure, there remains a significant risk that the electrical energy can travel through wiring and enter devices connected to outlets.
This was a lesson learned the hard way by Australian teen Bloom Kermode, who faced this terrifying reality in late April as strong storms delivered over 2,500 lightning strikes across Queensland.
Lightning Strikes While TikTok Scrolling
As reported by NYPost, Kermode was one of two individuals injured during a severe weather event. She described the moment of impact, saying, “It hit the roof and everything just exploded. Everything was white and I had this ringing in my ears.”
At the time, Kermode was not only using her phone but had it plugged into charge, compounding the risks associated with the electrical discharge. “My arm was stuck… tensed. And it was fully numb. Everything was numb,” she recounted.
In a lighthearted moment during an interview with 10NewsFirst, Kermode expressed her wish for the lightning strike to have given her superpowers. “I want superpowers, and if I don’t get them that’s going to be sad. I’ll go get a lottery ticket to see what happens,” she remarked, recalling that she had simply been enjoying TikTok before the sudden blast.
According to data from the CDC, the United States experiences approximately 40 million lightning strikes each year, yet the probability of an individual being struck is less than one in a million.
In a related incident, Twitch star Alinity faced a similar scare when lightning struck near her Texas home. Although she was not injured, the shock of the event underscored the unpredictable dangers associated with severe weather.
Source
www.dexerto.com