A viral video capturing a group of tourists traversing a desert expanse with their hair standing erect has ignited a fervent discourse on Chinese social media platforms. The phenomenon has sparked a divide among experts regarding the optimal course of action in response to the incident, including whether swiftly departing the scene was the most prudent choice.
The video, which rapidly gained traction on Tuesday, showcases a cluster of travelers journeying through the arid terrains of Turpan in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, situated in Northwestern China. Suddenly, their hair becomes reminiscent of hedgehog quills, standing on end. As relayed by the tourists themselves, their hair reverted to its normal state after covering a distance of three kilometers.
Numerous netizens posit that this occurrence serves as a telltale sign of an impending storm and consequently recommend an immediate retreat from the area.
Contrastingly, Feng Minxue, director of the Lightning Prevention and Disaster Reduction Institution in Jiangsu Province, East China, suggests that fleeing the vicinity might not be the most judicious reaction, as reported by China Youth Daily.
Feng expounds that if an individual’s hair is relatively dry and excess static electricity is the cause, there exists a window of opportunity for departure. Nonetheless, once the hair has already assumed an upright posture, impulsive flight is ill-advised. Such action could instigate the formation of step voltage, amplifying the peril.
In lieu of hasty escape, the appropriate approach entails minimizing body elevation. For those unable to descend the mountain swiftly, promptly assuming a crouched position, maintaining minimal distance between feet, and deploying hands as safeguards to cradle the head—while evading ground contact—constitute the recommended course of action, according to Feng.
Wu Xueke, an associate professor from the College of Atmospheric Sciences at Lanzhou University, proposes a hypothesis centered on the electrification of clouds positioned overhead. The heightened distortion of the electric field in this region could potentially induce static electricity within the hair. In extreme cases, the individual might even face the peril of a lightning strike.
Wu prescribes that when encountering a similar outdoor scenario, individuals should promptly seek lower ground, assume a crouched posture with feet closely aligned, and refrain from ambulation or sprinting. If parked vehicles are in proximity, taking refuge within them is a prudent step.
A spokesperson from Xinjiang’s local meteorological bureau’s Meteorological Disaster Prevention Technology Center communicated to Jiupai News that despite the desert setting and the presence of clouds, attributing the situation to an impending thunderstorm might be misleading. The center has no historical records of such phenomena, and thunderstorms are relatively infrequent in desert locales. By adopting suitable safety precautions and seeking shelter promptly, potential hazards can be effectively averted.
