On Thursday afternoon, New York City was hit by lightning. A 15-year-old boy was struck by lightning in Central Park near East 100 Street and Fifth Avenue. Fortunately, he was in stable condition after being sent to the hospital with mild burns.
In recent years, thunderstorms in New York have become more extreme, with violent low-altitude lightning and explosive thunder frequently appearing over residential areas. According to the New York City Police Department and Fire Department, when the accident occurred on Thursday, the boy was standing under a tree, next to a one-meter-high wire fence that separated the park trail. It is believed that the lightning struck the tree next to the boy, and then conducted to his metal necklace, causing burns on his neck.
After being hit, the boy was still conscious and is currently in stable condition in the hospital. According to statistics from the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 444 people were struck by lightning in the United States from 2006 to 2021, and 90% of them survived.
