Twenty people were injured when Lightning hit a beach in South Carolina on Tuesday night, authorities said.
Twelve children and six adults were taken to local hospitals, while two people left alone after the strike on a beach near Lake Murray, said Lexington County spokeswoman Vanessa Díaz.
The ages of the patients were not clear immediately, nor the scope of their injuries, said Díaz. Injuries are considered that they are not potentially mortal.
The ray hit what was a “super hot and sunny” day, although a storm cloud passed over the area, Díaz said.
“It didn’t rain or anything like that; it was just a random storm cloud that happened,” he said.
The Lexington County Fire Service, the IRMO Fire District, the Lexington County Emergency Medical Services and the Lexington County Sheriff department replied, Diaz said.
The strike, informed around 5 in the afternoon, occurred at the Dreher Shoals dam, said Díaz. The dam is on Lake Murray Public Park, owned by Dominion Energy. Dominion Energy did not immediately respond to comments requests on Tuesday night.
Lake Murray Public Park is about four miles northeast from Lexington.
The park was closed on Tuesday night, but ready to reopen on Wednesday, said Díaz.
