Do not plant these trees in your garden: They attract them like a magnet.

The damages that severe storms, wind and lightning can cause in gardens and the safety precautions that should be taken during the storm were explained by experts. Some tree species planted close to buildings increase the risk of lightning strikes and material damage.

TREES WITH HIGH LIGHTNING RISK

It is stated in the statement that lightning chooses the objects with the shortest and highest conductivity to reach the ground; It was stated that trees with deep roots and thick bark that store high moisture have become targets. It was warned that the sudden increase in temperature in trees struck by lightning causes the tree to split or explode by bursting the cell sap, and that this energy in trees close to buildings can be transferred directly to houses.

In this context, the species at risk are listed as follows:

Oak: It ranks first by acting as a lightning rod due to its height, deep roots and moist trunk.

Maple: It has high conductivity due to the high amount of water it stores in its wood tissue.

Linden: With its soft and damp wood structure, it is susceptible to damage during summer storms.

Pine and Spruce: In addition to attracting lightning with their high crowns, they also carry the risk of burning when struck by lightning due to the flammable resin in their structure.

On the other hand, it was noted that species such as willow, poplar and acacia, whose roots do not go deep and whose branches break easily, should be planted away from houses, vehicles and walking paths, as they carry the risk of falling over in strong winds.

DO NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER TREES

At the beginning of the storm, it was recommended to end the work in open areas and move to indoor areas. It was emphasized that one should not take shelter under trees due to the ability of lightning to spread through the ground.

Due to the electrical conductivity of water and metal, the following rules were requested to be followed during the storm: Irrigation hoses should not be used. Pool cleaning and water tank filling should not be done. Metal tools such as rakes, shovels and pruning shears should not be used.

PROTECTION OF ELECTRICAL DEVICES

It was stated that sudden voltage fluctuations in the electrical network of houses as a result of lightning strikes damaged electronic devices. It was stated that sensitive devices such as televisions, desktop and laptop computers, game consoles, tablets, Wi-Fi modems and printers should be unplugged during the storm due to the risk of high current.