This week is National Lightning Safety Week, and officials are reminding the public that while lightning can be fascinating to watch, it can also be deadly.

Each year in the United States, lightning strikes the ground approximately 25 million times—with nearly 800,000 of those flashes occurring in Illinois alone. Despite its beauty, lightning remains one of nature’s most underrated killers.

More than 1,000 people are struck by lightning annually in the U.S. While many survive, the injuries can be life-altering. When Lightning Safety Awareness Week began in 2001, the country averaged 55 lightning-related deaths per year. Thanks to growing public awareness and improved safety messaging, that average has now dropped to around 23 deaths per year.

The National Weather Service encourages people to “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors”—a simple reminder that the safest place during a thunderstorm is inside a sturdy building or hard-topped vehicle.

For more information and safety tips, visit the NWS Lightning Safety Awareness page.