Tragic lightning strike claims life of mother at Colombian beach
In a tragic incident, a woman walking along La Boquilla beach in Colombia was struck in the head by lightning. Unfortunately, 34-year-old Froilanis Maireth Rivas Roman succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. Colombia reports a high number of deaths caused by lightning strikes.
4:49 PM EST, November 17, 2023
During a beach trip with her family, the mother of two tragically lost her life to a lightning strike. For a fleeting moment, Froilanis Maireth Rivas Roman was engulfed by a ball of fire, then swiftly knocked to the ground. A tourist managed to capture the spine-chilling event on his mobile phone.
Rushed to a medical center, the woman presented vital signs but experienced cardiac and respiratory arrest. Despite ongoing efforts to revive her, the death was confirmed to the press by Alvaro Cruz, the director of the Crisis Regulation Center.
Froilanis orhpaned a son and a daughter. She consistently shared her joy towards being a mother of two young children through posts on her Facebook page. She also managed a successful clothing business on Instagram.
As per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the odds of being struck by lightning in any particular year are one in a million — surprisingly, nearly 90 percent of those struck survive the incident.
Colombia's high risk of lightning strikes
Located in a geographical hotspot for lightning strikes, Colombia registers a high number of deaths due to these incidents. As per the Industrial University of Santander, the country's abundance of mountains and open plains make it extraordinarily susceptible to electric discharges.
"These conditions locate Colombia in the region in the region with the highest lightning activity in the world increasing the number of deaths and injuries by this phenomenon, especially in rural zones," we read.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, local authorities have urged both tourists and residents to be more vigilant of weather forecasts and changing conditions.
