When thunder roars, go indoor .....w that iPod

Listen to an iPod during a storm and you may get more than electrifying tunes.

Physicians have reported treated people suffering from burns, sustained during freak accidents while using personal electronic devices eg beepers, walkman players & laptop computers outdoor during a storms.

A Canadian jogger suffered wishbone-shaped chest and neck burns, ruptured eardrums and a broken jaw when lightening travelled through his music player's wires, while a Colorado teen ended up with similar injures when lightning struck nearby as he was listening to his iPod while mowing the lawn.

"It's going to hit where it's going to hit, but once it contacts metal, the metal conducts electricity," said Dr Mary Ann Cooper of American College of Emergency Physicians.

When lightning jumps from a nearby object to a person, it often flashes over the skin. But metal in electronic devices, metal jewellery or coins in the pocket can cause contact burns and exacerbate the damage.
(Trenton, US) - AP