Surprise Lightning Hits Crowd in South Carolina on Sunny Day

Late Tuesday afternoon a sunny day at the lake turned terrifying for 20 people in South Carolina. A group of swimmers at Lake Murray including 12 children were among those caught off guard by an unexpected lightning strike.

A Facebook post from Irmo Fire District shares that it was sunny at the lake, but lightning from an approaching storm struck a metal cable that marks off the swimming area there at Lake Murray. The cable is attached to buoys and swimmers were holding on to them at the time of the lightning strike. Several nearby swimmers also were affected by the lightning strike.

WCNC in Charlotte said that 20 people were checked by EMTs at the lake, 8 adults and 12 children. All of the people were expected to recover. Several patients went to nearby hospitals but they only had non-life-threatening injuries.

Was there any warning that this was possible?

Fox Weather says that a special weather statement had been issued by the National Weather Service office in Columbia, South Carolina 5 minutes before the lightning strike about a strong thunderstorm approaching the area.

It's interesting and ironic that this happened during Lightning Safety Awareness Week, which runs from June 22-28, 2025. The National Weather Service mentions that lightning can strike before rain begins or after it ends and it can strike as far as 10 miles from the thunderstorm cloud where it originates. That's why it is so important to know what the weather forecast is for any outdoor activities.