Lightning strike in New Jersey kills one, injures 13

On July 16, a deadly lightning strike at an outdoor archery range in southern New Jersey, the US, on left one person dead and 13 others injured, authorities confirmed.

Matthew Kunz, police chief of Jackson Township, where the incident occurred, said a 61-year-old man succumbed to his injuries following the strike, Caliber.Az reports, citing American media.

The injured victims range in age from 7 to 61 years old. Some suffered burns, but police emphasised that none of the injuries were life-threatening. All were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

The lightning strike happened during a thunderstorm warning issued for the area. Jackson Township lies inland from the Jersey Shore, an area prone to sudden weather changes.

Lightning fatalities remain a significant hazard in the U.S. Over the past decade, an average of 20 people per year have died from lightning strikes nationwide, according to the National Weather Service. The summer months of June through August see the highest frequency of incidents.

This year, at least 11 people have been killed by lightning across the country. Recent incidents include a 28-year-old man who died in Hamburg, New Jersey, after being struck while playing golf on July 14, and a man who was fatally struck during his honeymoon in Florida in June, ABC News reported.

By Khagan Isayev