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| Lightning strike kills man on Venice Beach, Los Angeles | Lightning strike kills man on Venice Beach, Los Angeles |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| One man has been killed and several people have been hurt by lightning strikes on crowded Venice Beach in Los Angeles, California. | |
| The lightning struck amid a rare summer thunderstorm, spreading panic among bathers and visitors. | The lightning struck amid a rare summer thunderstorm, spreading panic among bathers and visitors. |
| Lifeguards fanned out across the beach and the water to attend to the injured, many of whom were treated at the scene. | Lifeguards fanned out across the beach and the water to attend to the injured, many of whom were treated at the scene. |
| Elsewhere in California, emergency crews are battling to contain wildfires that are threatening hundreds of homes. | Elsewhere in California, emergency crews are battling to contain wildfires that are threatening hundreds of homes. |
| At least 14 homes have reportedly been destroyed in the fires, which have blazed across drought-stricken grassland and forest. | At least 14 homes have reportedly been destroyed in the fires, which have blazed across drought-stricken grassland and forest. |
| A fire in the Sacramento region has spread to cover an area of about 4,000 acres (1,618 Ha), while another blaze has been threatening homes around Yosemite National Park. | |
| 'Big flash of light' | 'Big flash of light' |
| The man killed at Venice Beach was identified on Monday as Nick Fagnano, 20. The exact cause of his death is not yet known, and it is unclear if he was struck directly. | |
| Witnesses say the sky darkened suddenly and screams filled the air as the storm hit the beach on Sunday afternoon. Eight people were admitted to hospital. | Witnesses say the sky darkened suddenly and screams filled the air as the storm hit the beach on Sunday afternoon. Eight people were admitted to hospital. |
| One of the injured is said to be in a critical condition. Several people received treatment for milder symptoms, including anxiety. | One of the injured is said to be in a critical condition. Several people received treatment for milder symptoms, including anxiety. |
| Stuart Acher told KABC-TV he was hit by lightning while playing volleyball. | Stuart Acher told KABC-TV he was hit by lightning while playing volleyball. |
| "All of a sudden there was a big flash of light and a boom, and it felt like someone punched me in the back of my head," he told the station. | "All of a sudden there was a big flash of light and a boom, and it felt like someone punched me in the back of my head," he told the station. |
| "It went down the whole side of my right body, and my calves sort of locked up, and I fell over. And I looked up and everybody else was, you know, falling over." | "It went down the whole side of my right body, and my calves sort of locked up, and I fell over. And I looked up and everybody else was, you know, falling over." |
| Steve Christensen told Associated Press news agency that his friend had tried to help lifeguards searching for a missing swimmer. | Steve Christensen told Associated Press news agency that his friend had tried to help lifeguards searching for a missing swimmer. |
| "He went out to the water to find him and walked right into him," he said. "He was face down on the bottom." | "He went out to the water to find him and walked right into him," he said. "He was face down on the bottom." |
| Lightning also hit Catalina Island, near Los Angeles. | Lightning also hit Catalina Island, near Los Angeles. |
| A 57-year-old man who was playing golf was injured in the strike. His condition is said to be stable. | A 57-year-old man who was playing golf was injured in the strike. His condition is said to be stable. |
| Until the latest strike, at least 15 people had been killed this year by lightning in the US, according to the National Weather Service. | Until the latest strike, at least 15 people had been killed this year by lightning in the US, according to the National Weather Service. |