Avoid lightning by staying indoors, advises emergency doctor after sharing survival stories

As the monsoon season increases the risk of lightning strikes, an emergency medicine expert is urging the public to immediately halt outdoor activities and seek shelter indoors when thunderstorms occur. Namkoong In, a professor of emergency medicine at Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, shared harrowing real-life experiences from the emergency room on his YouTube channel, 'Sseuldak,' which has 140,000 subscribers.

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When it rains heavily, someone who was struck by lightning on a mountain came to us.

He recounted a case where a person struck by lightning on a mountain during a heavy downpour suffered cardiac arrest. Despite over an hour of CPR during transport, the victim did not survive. Professor Namkoong stressed that individuals alone on mountaintops are particularly vulnerable to lightning.

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If you are alone on a mountain, lightning is likely to strike there.

In another incident, about 50 hikers sought refuge in a pavilion on Gwanaksan mountain during a storm. A lightning strike hit the pavilion, but because the electrical charge was distributed among the 50 people, all survived. Professor Namkoong highlighted this as a stark contrast, emphasizing that the primary safety measure is to cease all outdoor activities and find secure shelter in a building.

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One person was hit, but because 50 people shared the impact, they all survived.

The professor's advice underscores the severe and often fatal consequences of lightning strikes, particularly during the rainy season. His practical guidance, drawn from direct medical experience, aims to prevent further tragedies by informing the public about essential safety protocols.

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Above all, you must stop outdoor activities to avoid lightning.