Lightning hits a group of 20 people, including children, at a beach park in South Carolina.

Lightning Strikes Group Swimming in South Carolina

Twenty people were struck by lightning while swimming at a beach park in South Carolina on Tuesday evening, according to emergency officials.

A thunderstorm hit Lexington around 4:43 PM. A spokesperson from Lexington County mentioned that one lightning bolt struck a group of 12 children at Dominion Beach Park.

An Irmo Fire Station representative explained that the lightning hit the water and activated metal cables that were attached to the buoys surrounding the swimming area. “Some folks were in the water near the buoys, and they were holding onto the cables when it happened. Others were just swimming nearby,” the firefighter noted. “Everyone was pretty stunned. Luckily, the injuries weren’t more severe.”

Initially, officials reported that 18 individuals, including all 12 of the children, were taken to a local hospital. However, they later corrected this to state that 12 people were sent to three local hospitals for treatment. While they did not provide details on the severity of the injuries, they confirmed that everyone was expected to survive.

There was no clarification on whether those injured were adults or children.

The National Weather Service in Columbia issued a special weather warning about five minutes before the lightning strike, alerting about a strong thunderstorm along with lightning and gusty winds approaching 50 miles per hour.

“Lightning can strike far from the actual storm,” said the Irmo firefighter. “It sounds strange, but it’s true. The day was bright and sunny at the lake, with clouds in the distance but none overhead. Thunderstorm safety is crucial!”