Both beautiful and thrilling, a South African thunderstorm is magnificent to watch – from a distance. But it can get very scary, very quickly, especially if an electrical storm is directly overhead.
Mother Nature is powerful, but she does (sometimes) give you fair warning. Do you feel like your hair is standing on end? Do you taste something metallic? Do you hear a growl of thunder in the distance? Do you feel a buzzing or even hear a crackling? Or can you see rather menacing Cumulonimbus clouds beginning to gather? All signs that lightning is around, and you need to get yourself to safety.
Fun Fact: To tell how far away lightning and a thunderstorm is, count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the clap of thunder that follows. Divide this number by three for how many kilometres the downpour is away from where you are.
Alongside your personal safety (according to the SA Weather Service, South Africa has one of the highest incidences of lightning-related injuries and deaths in the world) and the very real threat of fire, lightning can often cause unanticipated damage to property.
For example, a single bolt of lightning can instantly destroy most electronic components in a household or office building, such as computers, alarm systems, specialised machinery, appliances and other electronics. And while these items are expensive to replace, it can also lead to the loss of data, for example bookings, historical data and financial records.
Lightning has also been known to cause damage to fences, valuable trees, prized wild game and outdoor machinery. Even if lightning just strikes the ground, irrigation systems can be destroyed due to the electrical surge in the irrigation system components, leading to costly repairs or even replacement.
It’s best to be prepared. Here are just a few safety guidelines to consider this ‘storm season’.
Protect yourself from lightning strikes
- When you hear the rumbling of thunder, go inside and find a safe spot.
- Stay away from elevated ground such as a mountain or hill.
- Don’t lie flat on the ground, get into a crouch position.
- Don’t stand under a tree/s.
- Get out of any water (for example, rivers or pools) this is no time for aquatic adventures.
- If you are near powerlines or barbed wire fences, stay away as they conduct electricity.
Inside your lodge/establishment or private home
- Don’t do anything with water (a great excuse not to do the dishes!) and remember, lightning can travel through plumbing.
- Switch off (preferably unplug) all electronic equipment such as radios, televisions, computers, hair dryers and computer games.
- Don’t lie on concrete floors or lean on concrete walls as lightning can travel through any metal wires or supporting bars in the concrete walls or flooring.
Fire safety tips – a few questions to ask
- Does your premises require a lightning mast? (For example, thatch properties or those located in lightning hotspots. Chat to your broker if you are unsure of the requirements of the insurance policy arranged for you.)
- Are all buildings, outbuildings and storage places accessible to fire fighters?
- If a sprinkler system is installed, are stacks of material arranged so that they do not impede the effective operation of the sprinklers?
- Are portable heaters securely guarded and placed or fixed so that they cannot be knocked over?
- Are electrical installations tested and inspected at least every three years?
- Are defects in electrical equipment remedied at once?
- Is fire equipment always maintained in good working order and is it accessible for immediate use?
- Are fire resisting doors kept closed whenever possible and always after working hours?
- Does the watchman have access to a telephone and if so, does he know how to use it?
- Is the telephone number of the fire brigade prominently displayed?
- Is the watchman trained in the use of first aid and firefighting equipment?
- Is a routine inspection of the premises made when work has finished?
- Is there someone on the staff at management level responsible for fire prevention measures?
- Is every employee aware of the means of escape from the premises?
- Does every employee know how to use the fire equipment?
The above is not an exhaustive list, but chat to your broker for more information. Remember that legislation and regulations must be adhered to at all times.
Keep this in mind
- Surge protection is essential to any home and business. Have an electrician check your wiring system regularly.
- Installing a surge protector or lightning arrester will give you peace of mind during a storm and help prevent damage. An additional benefit is that your Insurer will reduce the excess payable on multiple sections of your policy in the event of a claim if you did have surge protection in place.
Did you know?
- Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela receives the most lightning strikes. Massive thunderstorms occur on 140-160 nights per year with an average of 28 lightning strikes per minute lasting up to 10 hours at a time. That’s as many as 40,000 lightning strikes in one night!
- Lightning helps plants grow, the extreme heat of a lightning strike causes nitrogen to bond with oxygen to create nitrogen oxides which combine with moisture in the air to fall as rain and water plants with nitrate-rich water.
While SATIB is not be able to spare you from load shedding, they can give you peace of mind when it comes to storm and lightning cover. Chat to them about the appropriate insurance cover for your needs. And remember SATIB has an experienced team who can hold your hand while you get back on your feet after damage or loss. Contact Us
