One person died and three others sustained injuries after being struck by lightning while swimming in the Gulf at Fort Myers Beach, Florida, on Friday afternoon.
Local authorities reported that the group of beachgoers was hit around 3 p.m. Witnesses described the moment of the strike with one beachgoer, Debra Crombie, telling WINK News it "sounded like an atomic bomb went off."
"I could see the flash, and I couldn’t see at that moment where it had hit, but I knew it had hit either on the beach or right at the shoreline," Crombie said. "It was so bright our ears hurt, our eyes were blinded by it, like that’s how intense this was."
An unidentified adult male was directly struck by the lightning and died. The three other swimmers, who were wading nearby, were injured and transported to a local hospital. Their conditions have not been immediately released.
Bystanders reported pulling the fatally struck swimmer from the water and attempting CPR, but he was pronounced dead by emergency responders upon their arrival.
Fort Myers Beach Fire Control District Chief Scott Wirth confirmed the fatalities and injuries.
Officials have cautioned beachgoers about the dangers of lightning, particularly during the current heatwave and leading up to the Fourth of July weekend. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement urging the public to monitor weather conditions. "If you observe lightning in the immediate area: stay out of the water, seek immediate shelter, and stay clear of loose or tall objects that could pose a risk or injury," the office stated on social media.
Parts of the East Coast are experiencing severe thunderstorms alongside a significant heat dome enveloping much of the country, prompting warnings for public safety.