A 39-year-old woman died Saturday morning, a day after being struck by lightning on Pinheira Beach in Palhoça, Brazil. The incident occurred Friday at 6:03 p.m. local time.
Video footage captured the moment the woman was walking with another individual when she stopped. Approximately five seconds later, a lightning bolt struck her, causing her to collapse in front of her companion. The Santa Catarina fire department arrived on the scene about 15 minutes later, finding the woman unconscious with burn marks. CPR was being administered by the person with her.
Paramedics used an automated external defibrillator in an attempt to resuscitate the woman before transporting her to an emergency care facility in Sonho. She was intubated and later transferred to a hospital in São José, where she died. Hospital officials stated she was in serious condition and received necessary medical support.
Storms in the region on Friday also led to other fatalities. In the neighboring state of Rio Grande do Sul, an 8-year-old boy died when a tree fell on his home during the storm, injuring his 4-month-old brother and mother. Separately, a 72-year-old man died when his car was swept away by floodwaters. A passenger in his vehicle survived and was hospitalized.
Lightning strikes are a known hazard, with the National Weather Service reporting at least 12 lightning-related fatalities in the U.S. in 2026. The CDC estimates that around 37 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the U.S. annually, with survival rates for victims exceeding 90%.