2 women injured after being struck by lightning at a popular Arizona national recreation area

Two tourists visiting an Arizona national park had to be airlifted to a hospital after being struck by lightning, the National Park Service said Tuesday.

The women, aged 22 and 23, were vacationing from the Netherlands and Australia when they were injured in the lightning strike at Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on Monday. The NPS said they were standing near the rim of the Horseshoe Band when the strike happened a few minutes before 4:00 p.m.

National Park Service Rangers, the City of Page Fire Department and Classic Air Medical worked to care for the women until they were flown by helicopter to Utah's St. George Regional Hospital.

As of Wednesday, the NPS hasn't given an update on the patient's condition.

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says about 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the U.S. annually, but the odds of being struck in any given year are less than 1 in 1 million. From 2006 to 2021, there were 444 lightning strike deaths in the U.S., with 90% of those struck surviving.

Still, Arizona is in the top 10 states with the most lightning deaths and injuries.

Factors that can put people at an increased risk of being struck include outdoor recreational activities and seasonal changes. The CDC says leisure activities like fishing, boating, playing sports and hanging out at the beach made up almost two-thirds of lightning deaths from 2006 to 2021.

To protect yourself, the NPS says people should be aware of changing weather conditions when visiting outdoor areas, particularly during monsoon season. This season typically lasts from mid-June to September in Arizona and July to September in Utah, according to the NPS, and can bring more frequent and severe thunderstorms. When thunder is present, visitors are more at risk of being struck by lightning.

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