Lightning struck Venice Beach yesterday afternoon, killing a man and leaving over a dozen people with injuries.
According to ABC Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Fire Department says a bolt of lightning hit the water around 2:30 p.m., sending electricity through the water that shocked beach inhabitants both in and out of it. A 20-year-old man who was swimming disappeared into the water, only to be discovered some 90 minutes later. CPR was administered, and he was taken to Marina Del Rey Hospital in critical condition where he later died.
A critically-injured surfer was rushed to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, and a total of 13 people were injured. Five of the 13 suffered injuries that did not warrant hospital visits.
Danny Douglas, captain of the Los Angeles County Fire Lifeguard Division, told ABC Los Angeles that officials are still in the dark about the accident's specifics: "We don't have any idea whether [lightning] hit the water, hit the land or hit some buildings. We just have reports of one and then some people are saying multiple lightning strikes."
In a compassionate statement, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said the tragedy "reminds us that we can take nothing for granted or underestimate the power of nature."
[via ABC Los Angeles]
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