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One Killed, Five Injured By Lightning Strike at Grand Canyon National Park

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Published Date

August 5, 2011

A German tourist has been killed and five others injured by a lightning strike on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

Park officials say the lightning bolt struck near the visitors on the Rim Trail just about a quarter-mile west of Mohave Point on Thursday afternoon. When rangers reached the scene along the Hermit Road they found others performing CPR on the woman.

Rangers took over CPR and moved their life-saving efforts to an ambulance, as lightning continued to be a threat to those who were outdoors, the park reported.  At the same time, the injured members of her party were transported to the park’s Emergency Operations Center to get them out of the lightning.  There, their injuries were assessed and basic first aid was provided.

Emergency medical responders were never able to revive the woman who had collapsed, a 64-year old German national who was part of a visiting tour group, a park release added.

This incident is a tragic reminder of the fact that summer storms in the southwest are often accompanied by potentially deadly lightning.  Visitors to the park are reminded that if the sound of thunder follows a lightning flash within 30 seconds or less, they should seek shelter in a building or vehicle or proceed to the nearest bus stop to get on a park shuttle. Remember, “if you see it, flee it; and if you hear it, clear it.”

 

The deceased’s name is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin.

For more on how to be “lightning smart”, please visit Grand Canyon National Park’s web site at http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/upload/LightningDanger.pdf.

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Comments

Submitted by admin on August 7, 2011 - 5:46am.

I was always told to find a lower elevation.  If the bus sign is metal and the highest object around lightning will seek it.  A ditch is good, lower ground is better.  This served me well at Newberry a few years ago.


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