Lightning claims youth's life while playing cricket in Alappuzha
The victim's life could not be saved despite specialized treatment provided to him.
An unfortunate incident ended up quite tragically for a 30-year-old youth from Alappuzha, Kerala. Akhil P Sreenivasan passed away after being struck by lightning while playing cricket. The youth was a resident of Puthuval Lakshamveedu Colony.
According to Onmanorama, the unfortunate incident occurred with Akhil while playing the game in a paddy field in Koduppunna, a village in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. He was initially administered first aid at a nearby private hospital in Edathua. However, Akhil's life could not be saved despite being shifted to the Government Medical College for being taken care of through expert medical fare.
As per Kaumudi Online, the cause of death was the smartphone which was in Akhil's possession. It turned into an explosive after being struck by the electric discharge. The incident is reported to have taken place at 3:30 pm on Sunday, March 16. Akhil was reported to have taken his phone out from his pocket to answer a call while fielding when lightning struck. The explosion had severe consequences; he suffered extensive burns on his ears, head, and chest.
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As per the same news outlet, Akhil is understood to be a welding worker in addition to having to work on Chundan Vallam (snake boats of Kerala). It was also reported that a friend of his, Sharan, was also injured during the mishap. However, his injuries are not that severe.
Tips to prevent and manage lightning strikes
There are a few precautions one can take to try their best to mitigate mishaps such as the one mentioned above. If there are no immediate shelters to make one's way to, the person could tuck their head and legs between their knees and roll up like a ball. Another important aspect to remember would be to immediately give first aid to a person who has been struck by lightning. It is a common misconception that electric current passes through the body of a person who has suffered a lightning strike.
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