Man dies after being struck by lightning on the golf course

It’s believed to be the first fatality from lightning in the US in 2021

(CBSN Philly)

A New Jersey man was killed after being struck by lightning when playing a round of golf, according to news reports.

The victim, who has yet to be identified, was out on the green at 3.45pm at the Burlington Country Club in Westampton Township on 9 June. He is believed to be in his 70s.

An eyewitness to the storm, Norm Jones, said it was “bizarre” as the weather had been pleasant, and there was reportedly no rain.

"It was sunny; thundering and lightning with the sun out," he told the news network.

ABC6 meteorologist Adam Joseph tweeted that there was another person who was struck. “We’ve heard of 2 people struck by lightning this afternoon and this is a good time to remind you that no place outdoors is safe during a thunderstorm.  We’ve also had some severe wind gusts with some storms to our south.”

However, their condition remains unknown.

Westampton Police told Action News that the victim was between the 6th and 7th holes before he was hit. His body was discovered next to a tree, and authorities have suggested he was taking cover from the storm.

According to The Washington Post, before this latest incident there had been no causalities from lightning in the US so far this year. They reported that typically by the end of the first half of June, there would have been between three or four deaths related to lightning already reported.

At this point in 2020, five people had lost their lives to lightning, however questions remain about whether the pandemic impacted the reporting. Roughly, it is estimated that 41 people die annually from being struck by lightning in the US. The year’s total was 17 deaths from lightning.

According to the data, Florida has most of the lightning fatalities, however Oklahoma is nearing to the top spot, according data from meteorologist Chris Vagasky.

“When the numbers are that close together, it’s hard to say something’s truly taken over the other,” he told The Post in April. “Florida and Oklahoma are the two most lightning-prone states in the U.S.”