Teen Describes Lightning Strike as 'Stabbed with 1000 Needles' in Perth Storm
A 16-year-old girl has recounted the terrifying moment she was struck by lightning during a summer thunderstorm in Perth's north-east, describing the experience as feeling like being "stabbed with 1000 needles." Georgia Rizzi was one of three people hit by lightning in the city's first downpour since December, a rare event that emergency services called "incredibly unfortunate."
Schoolyard Incident Leaves Students Hospitalized
Georgia Rizzi, a student at Eastern Hills Senior High School, was chatting with friends about the school ball near the tennis courts when the lightning struck. "I was just standing around the tennis court talking to my friends about the school ball, and then everyone's hair starts sticking up," she told 9NEWS. The lightning hit a nearby metal post, injuring both Georgia and her friend.
"I felt like I had just been stabbed with 1000 needles," Georgia said, detailing the intense pain. Medical staff and her father later joked that she should buy a lottery ticket, given the unlikely nature of the incident. Both girls were rushed to Midland Hospital and Fiona Stanley Hospital but were discharged later that same day.
Grandfather and Dog Struck in Separate Incident
In a separate but related event, 78-year-old Michael Day was walking his daughter's dog, Messi, in Hamersley around 9am when he was struck by a lightning bolt. Tragically, the dog was killed instantly. Mr. Day suffered burns to his abdomen and inner thigh and was taken to hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
His daughter, Karyn Avalos, described her father's survival as a miracle but expressed devastation over Messi's death. "Dad's in a lot of pain, I think when it happened he was still joking about and that's typical dad, but I think now it's all kind of sunk in for him," she said. "The kids called Messi their hero, because who knows what would have happened if Messi didn't take the full brunt of the electrical force. We will really miss him."
Emergency Services Label Event as Rare
St John WA special operations manager Deane Coxall stated that this was the first time in his 15-year career he had seen three people struck by lightning in a single day. "It is an incredibly unfortunate and unlikely event, I would be very surprised if we ever saw it again," he remarked, highlighting the freak nature of the occurrences.
The storm marked Perth's first significant rainfall since December, bringing lightning and thunderstorms across Western Australia. Authorities have urged residents to take precautions during severe weather, emphasizing the dangers of lightning strikes even in urban areas.
