Lightning Sends Pregnant Woman, 3 Others to Hospital in Wildwood New Jersey

A lightning hit on the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey sends four family members to the hospital, including a pregnant woman and her child

A lightning hit on the beach in Wildwood, New Jersey sends a family of four to the hospital, including a pregnant woman.

"They're shaken up," Josh Rinesmith told NBC10's Ted Greenberg.

His pregnant sister and her child were among the family members taken to the hospital, as a precaution.

The family is vacationing from Mechanicsburg, Pa. They were at the Cedar Avenue beach around 12:30 p.m when the torrential rain moved through.

"The storm came up quickly," Rinesmith said. "Lightning struck around an umbrella they were standing under."

Fire Chief Christopher D'Amico tells NBC10 that no one took a direct hit from the lightning strike.

"They just had some tingling in their hands and arms."

The lighting strike prompted lifeguards to immediately clear people off the beaches.

"It happened so fast, it kind of came out of nowhere. It was raining like crazy and then all of a sudden you heard a big crack of lightning and everybody started running," said Jim Ambrose from Greenville, Pa. He said it was the loudest thing he's ever heard. "Sounded like a gunshot going off."

Here's the NBC10 Interactive Radar. You can track the severe weather as it moves across our area this afternoon.

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