What happens when someone is struck by lightning?

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, N.C. (WWAY) — Few details have been released about two people who were reportedly struck by lightning over the weekend near the north end of Wrightsville Beach.

The incident was reported around 11:30 a.m. Saturday near the Shell Island Resort as storms moved through the area. The conditions and identities of the two people have not been released.

Toni Scollins, an injury and violence prevention coordinator at Novant Health, said lightning strikes are rare but may be more likely to cause injuries at the beach during the busy tourist season.

“We could see more injuries related to this because folks are vacationing and having a good time and not wanting to leave the beach areas,” Scollins said.

The incident happened a little more than four years after William Friend, the husband of “One Tree Hill” actress Bevin Prince, was killed by a lightning strike near Masonboro Island in July 2022.

Scollins said the ocean does not attract lightning, but saltwater conducts electricity, potentially putting nearby beachgoers at risk when lightning strikes.

“It’s a myth that water actually attracts lightning its more that the saltwater conducts electricity around the beach so you are more likely to get struck by lightning that way,” Scollins said.

The severity of a person’s injuries can depend on their proximity to the lightning strike. Someone close to a strike may immediately experience cardiac complications, including disruptions to the heart’s electrical system.

“It can also can cause burns, surface burns and interior burns that you can’t see,” Scollins said.

People farther from the strike may not experience symptoms until later.

“You can have palpitations, irregular heartbeat, you can have burns all sorts of things like that,” Scollins said.

As summer storms continue along the coast, Scollins urged beachgoers to leave the beach as soon as they hear thunder and wait at least 30 minutes after the last thunder before returning outside.

“I recommend that you seek refuge in a building, and if you can get to a building and get inside you need to get in a car,” Scollins said.

WWAY has reached out to Wrightsville Beach officials for additional information about the two people were reportedly struck but has not received a response.