Weather

Lightning fatalities so far this year; Florida leads

By Irene Sans, WFTV.com
By Irene Sans, WFTV.com
On Wednesday, Jeffrey Moyer, 44, was boating in a lake bin Umatilla and was struck by lightning. This is the fifth fatality in Florida this year and the eight nationwide in 2018. The medical examiners office confirmed Thursday that the cause of death was lightning.
Based on the last 10 years, in Florida typically five people die each year due to lightning strikes. Through June 27, the average nationwide is 10 lightning fatalities.
Lightning safety: Lightning safety: How close do you have to be to get struck?
July is typically the deadliest month of the year, averaging about one death every three days.
The three other deaths in the country were in Texas, Arkansas and Tennessee. All men were outdoors, repairing fencing, working in construction or playing. The youngest victim, 7 years old,
died in May playing outdoors.
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