A Colorado man has died after being struck by lightning while on Cape Charles beach in Virginia on Thursday afternoon. The 41-year-old succumbed to cardiac arrest following the incident, and a woman who was with him suffered minor injuries.
Emergency medical services responded to the scene near Washington and Bay Avenue around 3:30 p.m. They initiated CPR upon arrival before transporting the man to a hospital, where he later passed away. The woman is expected to make a full recovery.
Witnesses described the storm as sudden and intense. John Lockwood, a resident of Cape Charles, reported hearing a flash and immediate thunder. "As I was putting the car away, I heard the flash and instant thunder, one after another. All I saw was colors, yellow, green, blue and white. We had no idea that someone had been killed until we saw police responding," Lockwood said.
Multiple families and children were present on the beach, observing the approaching storm. Town manager Rick Keuroglian noted that lightning strikes were observed sweeping across the beach as heavy rain began to fall. Up to 70 strikes were detected within a five-minute period, and beachgoers described the scene as frightening.
"What are the chances of that? You come on vacation and your dream turns into a nightmare," said AJ Asadi, a beach visitor, to 13NewsNow.
According to the National Weather Service, approximately 300 people are struck by lightning annually in the United States, with direct strikes accounting for only three to five percent of injuries. Indirect strikes are more commonly the cause of fatalities.
This incident marks the 10th lightning-related fatality in the U.S. this year and the first recorded in Virginia since 2023, according to statistics from the National Lightning Safety Council. The identity of the deceased man is being withheld out of respect for his family. The Cape Charles Police Department extended its condolences to the affected family and loved ones.