Colorado lightning victim identified and remains in critical condition

A woman who was struck by lightning on Thursday evening in the US state of Colorado has now been identified, authorities said.

The Boulder County sheriff's office said she remained in critical condition, with her family at her side.

Bystanders found the woman, believed to be between 20 and 30 years old, unresponsive and carried out CPR until emergency workers arrived. Her phone was severely damaged in the strike in Superior, about 20 miles (32km) north-west of Denver, prompting authorities to seek public help in identifying her.

"We appreciate the community's assistance and support during this incident," the sheriff's office said in Saturday's announcement.

The woman had no detectable pulse and was not breathing when first responders arrived. After continued resuscitation efforts, she regained a faint pulse and began breathing on her own but remained unconscious.

She has since been airlifted to a hospital in Denver.

About 40 million lightning strikes hit the ground in the US each year, but the chance of being struck is less than one in a million, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Colorado sees an estimated 500,000 lightning strikes to ground per year, the National Weather Service says.

Citing the Lightning Safety Council, it also says Colorado ranks third in the US in lightning fatalities – with Florida and Texas respectively taking the top two spots – based on data collected between 2006 and 2024.