#autaugaville

A Lightning Strike in Alabama killed one farming Cow in Autauga County

AUTAUGAVILLE, ALABAMA -- A black cattle cow was struck and killed late Sunday afternoon (May 15th, 2022 - Alabama local time) at a family-owned farm of the Autauga Farming Company Inc. (AFCI) as per localized rain shower and thunderstorms happening first in Autauga County. Andy Wendland runs and operates the said company, along with his family themselves.

In a Facebook post via its syndicated press release, Wendland's family was wrapping up a get-together Sunday night but, one cow was killed outside from a lightning strike. Among other cows were safe as a pre-caution. "We were in the midst of wrapping up a family gathering. It had been raining with some thunder. We were all safely inside with children and grandchildren, when we heard this loud 'BOOM' of thunder, very close by. Emma Wendland looked up just in time to see one of our cows fall over in the pasture. The cow had been struck by lightning, and fell dead on the spot, within a hundred yards of our front porch. We have never had one hit this close to our home".

According to the National Weather Service (NWS) in America, the odds of being struck by lightning like a lottery for example are extremely low around 1 in a million. The most common cause of death related to lightning had been resulting in a cardiac arrest at that time of the said strike.

Wendland wants to remind people about taking shelter during a severe weather.

The United States Centers for Disease Control (US-CDC) advises people to the public, "When thunder roars, go indoors". Officials said if going inside isn’t feasible, people should crouch and get as close to the ground as possible, but never seek shelter under a tree for now.

NWS says lightning kills about 20 people each year in the United States alone and hundreds more are injured. Autauga County is located near 20 miles northwest after Prattville.

PHOTO COURTESY: Autauga Farming Company Inc. via FB Photo

SOURCE: *https://www.facebook.com/162731527078607/posts/5424038540947853 [Referenced FB Photo from AFCI] *https://www.foxla.com/news/lightning-kills-cow-on-the-spot-prompting-warning-from-farmer [Referenced News Article #1 from KTTV's FOX 11: Los Angeles] *https://www.sacbee.com/news/nation-world/national/article261488222.html [Referenced News Article #2 from the Sacramento Bee] and *https://www.newsweek.com/lightning-strike-kill-15-cows-stormy-weather-1588902 [Referenced News Article #3f from Newsweek]