Lightning strikes from a storm in Horry County Wednesday night sent three people to the hospital in separate incidents.
None of the injuries were life-threatening, but they point out the danger of that frightening weather phenomenon.
When we think of deaths or injuries in severe weather, tornadoes and hurricanes come to mind. But in an average year, more people are killed by lightning.
Renelle Wolff keeps a close eye on the weather, when she's on duty as a training officer for Lack's Beach Service.
She keeps a lightning detector handy, and when it shows lightning within six miles of the beach, she and her lifeguard crew take action.
"We will clear the water, put up our no swimming flag and get most of the people off the beach for safety," said Wolff.
Horry County's beach safety director Duke Brown says just getting people out of the water during a lightning storm isn't enough.
"Even if you're on the beach, it's still not a safe area. Do not go under an umbrella. Lightning will potentially hit the highest point in an area and that umbrella could be the highest point, and anything under it will be affected," Brown told us.
Brown says the best place to go during a lightning storm is inside a shelter, like a house or a car with the windows rolled up, while not touching anything outside the car.
"Stay away from windows, telephones and also water is a conductor of electricity so you need to stay away from water during that time also," said Brown.
He says you can be up to 50 feet away from where a lightning bolt hits and still be affected by it.
During these hot summer days, storms can pop up quickly, so anyone who's outdoors needs to keep a close eye on the sky.
"Not only are we concerned about the patrons safety, we're also concerned about our own lifeguard's safety," said Renelle Wolff.
The National Weather Service says only about 10 percent of people struck by lightning each year are killed, but hundreds of others are left disabled.
On average, about 60 people in the U.S. are killed by lightning each year.
