Lightning strike throws Moscow student into pond

The young man and four fellow students at a Moscow university, including two young women, were observing Russia Day in the Troparyov park in southwestern Moscow. When it started raining, they found shelter on a bench under a tree.

"At that moment, lightning hit the ground near them," doctors told the Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper.

The earth was wet and part of the lightning charge reached the students. One of them, 21-year-old Mikhail, lost consciousness and was thrown into a pond nearby.

"The lightning strike sent him into the pond," said 23-year-old Alexandra, who was also with the group. "I lost consciousness for a second too, and then I realized I could not feel my legs. The others said they had the same feeling."

Meanwhile, a man who was passing by pulled Mikhail out of the pond and called an ambulance.

"Twenty-three-year-old Alexandra, 24-year-old Sergei and 21-year-old Mikhail are now in the Sklifosovsky hospital. They have no burns, but suffered electricity traumas," the doctors said. "Twenty-five-year-old Dmitry and Yekaterina are in hospital 36."

The victims are out of danger. "Luckily, we don't have anything serious," Alexandra said. "Tomorrow we are going to be discharged."

A storm warning was issued for Moscow on Tuesday, which is Russia Day, a national holiday. Rain showers hit the capital throughout the day, but ceased during a mass opposition rally in the afternoon and a pop concert on the Red Square in the evening.

Source: RIA Novosti