Authorities say a Florida woman has died after being struck by lightning on a Tampa Bay-area beach.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office says Phyllis Kalinowski of Brandon was visiting Belleair Beach with a friend Tuesday evening. The women separated shortly before a heavy thunderstorm rolled through the area.
After the storm, Dawn Ryskoskis of Brandon returned to the area where she last saw Kalinowski. According to the sheriff’s office, Ryskoskis found Kalinowski lying on the beach near the shoreline “with injuries indicative of a lightning strike.”
Authorities say Kalinowski died at the scene.
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Besieged Berkshire Utility Tries to Rewrite Who Pays for Wildfires 
AIG’s Zaffino: Outcomes From AI Use Went From ‘Aspirational’ to ‘Beyond Expectations’ 
Explosive Wildfires Surge Through Oklahoma Panhandle and Kansas 
Walmart to Pay $100 Million to Settle FTC Case on Driver Wages 
Want to stay up to date?
Get the latest insurance news
sent straight to your inbox.