CNA 938 Rewind – How does the human body react to a lightning strike, and is it always deadly?
CNA 938 Rewind featured Dr Adrian Poh from HMI OneCare on the bodily harms caused by lightning strikes, following the fatal clear-sky lightning incident at Pasir Ris Beach.
10 July 2026
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The recent fatal lightning strike at Pasir Ris Beach has drawn public attention to the bodily harm a lightning strike can cause, and more importantly, what bystanders should do that could save a victim's life.
Dr Adrian Poh from HMI One Care explained that the impact of a lightning strike can range from immediate death to non-fatal injuries that only surface later. Lightning strikes can cause serious harm to the body, including cardiac arrest, neurological damage, skin burns, and internal organ injury.
During the interview, he also stressed the importance of starting CPR immediately if you witness someone being strike by lightning.
Dr Poh also shared practical precautions the public can take to lower their risk of being struck by lightning, which include avoiding open spaces. He also said that position and physical condition at the time of a strike can play a role, though factors like height can be negligible, a person's location matters far more.