Five people were recovering in hospital Monday after being struck by lightning in Kaohsiung County Sunday afternoon. The victims say they were taken by surprise as the lightning struck from clear skies while they were resting under a tree. The strike left them unconscious and with burns on their bodies.

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Recuperating in hospital, the five victims were at a loss to explain where the lightning came from on a cloudless day. They were drinking tea under a tree when the accident occurred.



It wasn't raining. It was good weather, said one of the victims. But there was still a flash of lightning. That was the problem.



The victims say that the lightning strike sounded like a loud explosion. They were left unconscious by the strike and their skin still shows the burn marks.



Chen Wun-syu

E-Da Hospital Spokesman

Actually they weren't directly hit too severely, so they can count themselves lucky, said Chen Wun-syu, a spokesman for E-Da Hospital.



The Central Weather Bureau explained that lightning can strike without rain as long as the cloud conditions are right. It can even strike tens of kilometers ahead of an approaching thunderstorm, appearing out of clear blue skies.





Forecasters warned that thunderstorms are frequent later on in the day in the summer months. They urged people to avoid going outdoors in mountainous areas or sheltering under lone-standing trees during thunderstorms. The bureau also said the public can reduce the risk of injury further by avoiding using telephones and other electrical appliances during storms. As for the weather over the coming days, a cold front is expected to reach Taiwan from the North Tuesday, lowering temperatures by one or two degrees Celsius.
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