CA Hiker Fatally Struck By Lightning In NorCal

San Francisco CA

03 August, 2021

7:56 PM

Description

FRESNO, CA — A hiker was electrocuted Friday after he was struck by lightning while hiking near the John Muir Trail in the Sierra Nevada, according to multiple reports. Nicholas Torchia, a 37-year-old Fresno resident, died after trying to take cover by leaning against a tree, Fresno County Sheriff's spokesman Tony Botti told the Associated Press. But the tree was struck by a lightning bolt moments later. "Torchia fell to the ground," Botti said. "His fellow hikers came to check on him and he told them he didn't feel well and then became unconscious." Read more from the Associated Press: Hiker killed by lightning strike in Northern California While lighting is one of the leading causes of weather-related deaths, it is an extremely rare event, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The odds are only around 1 in 500,000, the CDC said. While dying by lightning strike is rare, federal officials maintain that lighting is more common during the summer. July is the month with the most lightning across the U.S., according to the CDC. "In fact, two-thirds of all lightning casualties occur between noon and 6pm," according to the CDC.