BMA warns of mobile phone shocker

According to a recent BMA warning, people should not use mobile phones outdoors during thunderstorms because of the risk of being struck by lightning.

The warning follows the case of a 15 year-old girl who was using her phone in a park when she was struck by lightning during a storm.

The BMA docs say that although using a phone will not call down lightning, it does cause you problems if you do happen to be struck.

Usually when someone is struck by lightning, the high resistance of the skin conducts the flash over the body in what is known as a flashover and you are unlikely to be killed.

However if you happen to be holding a metal object, such as a mobile phone, the flashover is disrupted and the chance of more voltage being passed into your body is increased.

There have been a number of deaths caused as a result of people using phones in thunderstorms in China, South Korea and Malaysia.

The INQ recommends carrying a pigeon in your pocket just in case you have an urgent message to send when it's looking like rain. µ

L'Inq
MSNBC piece