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If lightning falls right on top of the person, there is no way, death is instantaneous, with rare exceptions. The current passing through the body in such cases is 30 thousand to 40 thousand amperes, about a thousand times stronger than the current from an electric shower. “If that person is swimming in a pool or in the sea, the danger is even greater, as water conducts electricity more efficiently”, says biophysicist Alice Ferreira, from the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp). In addition to causing irreversible damage to the nervous system and heart, lightning literally roasts the victim. But this type of accident is rare. The most common thing is for the person to be hit indirectly, receiving the current through the ground or through lateral branches of the main axis of the lightning. This is probably what happened in 1996 at the São Paulo training center.
At the time, the team’s physical trainer, Altair Ramos, was hit by the lateral sparks of lightning that fell on the lawn, a few meters from where he was. Altaïr fainted, suffered cardiac arrest and some burns, but survived the crash. The chain that Altaïr wore around his neck melted with the heat, but it was not what saved his life, as some said at the time – metallic objects, in these situations, only serve to heat up and burn the skin even more. “Soccer fields hold the record for lightning accidents”, says engineer Osmar Pinto Júnior, from the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe). To protect yourself, the ideal is to always wear shoes and quickly seek shelter somewhere closed during a storm. Continuing a football match even in the rain, as you can see, can be quite dangerous.
Leaving the lawn a little, it is worth remembering that closed cars also offer reasonable protection, because if an electrical discharge hits it, it will circulate through the body of the vehicle until it dissipates on the ground. Victims who survive very strong lightning can have sequels forever, such as some memory lapses, motor problems and even heart failure.
When the discharge hits a football field, effects can be felt up to 100 meters from the point of impact
low risk zoneWhoever is between 20 and 100 meters away from the hit player can still feel the shock, as the electric current is transmitted through the ground and enters through the person’s feet. Here, yes, whoever wears football boots will be more protected. In that area farthest from the radius, the effects usually do not go beyond fainting and a great scare.
human lightning rod
If the ray lands exactly on top of any player, the electrical discharge is so strong that it burns the victim’s skin and internal organs, causing instant death. In this situation, wearing cleats does not make much difference, as the current pierces the rubber sole.
high risk zone
Players who are within a distance of up to 20 meters from the place where lightning struck can receive the side branches of the main discharge. The shock is much smaller, but these sparks are also very dangerous and can lead, for example, to cardiac arrest.
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