PAGE, Ariz. – Lightning struck two visitors while they were standing near the rim of Horseshoe Bend in Glen Canyon National Recreation just before 4 p.m. Monday.
Two female visitors, ages 22 and 23, one from the Netherlands and one from Australia, sustained injuries, according to a news release from the National Park Service. Classic Air Medical and the Page Fire Department responded to assist National Park Service rangers with on-scene patient care. The injured visitors were flown to St. George Regional Hospital.
The park service reminds visitors to use caution while visiting exposed outdoor areas and be aware of changing weather conditions. Thunderstorms are most frequent and severe during the monsoon season, which is typically mid-June through September in Arizona and July through September in Utah. If you hear thunder, you are at risk of getting struck by lightning and should immediately seek shelter in a vehicle or building.
This is the second regional incident this summer involving lightning strikes injuring people. As previously reported, on June 27, several people were injured when a storm hit south of Fremont Junction near the Willow Springs Overlook. Those involved were part of a youth group taking part in a Latter-day Saints reenactment trek when they were overtaken by a storm.
Click here for more information about safety during lightning storms.