Lightning strikes L.A. beach, 1 killed, at least 9 injured

On Sunday afternoon, one man was killed and at least nine people were injured at a Los Angeles beach during a rare July thunderstorm.

Lightning hit Venice Beach at about 2:15 p.m., and several people were struck while in the water. "I heard this crackle," one witness told CBS Los Angeles, "and there was this giant bolt of lightning shooting across the sky and the loudest thunder I've ever heard." The deceased man was 20 years old, and died after being transported to Marina Del Rey Hospital; according to ABC7, he had been swimming when he was hit, and lifeguards found him in the water 90 minutes later.

According to Weather.com's senior digital meteorologist Nick Wiltgen, rain doesn't often hit California beaches in July. "In this case, monsoon moisture from the deserts drifted farther west than usual, allowing some showers and thunderstorms to fire up," he said. "Thunderstorms are uncommon at the beach in Los Angeles any time of year, but particularly in July."

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