Around the world, there are approximately 50 lightning flashes taking place every second, and about 2,000 thunder storms occurring at any one time. This equates to more than 1,2 billion thunder storms per year. In 2016, South Africa experienced 28,000,000 lightning flashes to ground.

A news article, written in November 2015, stated the following: “South Africa is in the top three countries with the highest death rates from lightning. Lightning is responsible for up to 300 deaths a year, but the actual statistics could be much higher.”

A South African, specialist pathologist on lightning deaths, wrote the following in an article: “Lightning kills approximately 24,000 people around the world every year. And approximately 240 000 people will be struck or injured but survive a lightning strike, often with severe disabilities. Lightning is a completely random and anonymous killer”.

It is the aim of Lightning 30 Foundation to reduce the number of deaths and injuries in South Africa and Africa through education of schools and communities and to provide rural communities with early warning systems and lightning safe shelters.