Horror moment tourist and hammock seller killed by lightning on Mexican beach

A video has captured the moment a woman and man were killed by lightning on a beautiful Mexican beach. Warning: Graphic content

Warning: Graphic content

Two people have died after being struck by lightning on a Mexican beach.

A video captured the horrifying moment a lightning bolt hit a person at Maruata Beach in the state of Michoacan, causing them to collapse. The bolt then travelled across the sand striking another person.

Beachgoers could be heard screaming as they ran away.

It is understood people had been packing up their belongings as a dangerous storm rolled in on Friday, with the shocking video circulating on social media this week.

Two people have been killed after being struck by lightning on a Mexican beach. Picture: Angel Rock-lover Pakito/Facebook

One of the victims was named as Elvia de Jesús, 33, who was on a holiday from the state of Guanajuato.

The second victim was reported to be Félix Andrés, a male hammock seller from a nearby state.

Ms de Jesús was following her husband after coming out of the water when she was struck, Daily Mail reported, citing local authorities.

He had performed CPR on his wife before paramedics arrived but she was sadly pronounced dead.

Mr Andrés was reported to have succumbed to his injuries in hospital.

Harrowing video footage captured the moment a lightning bolt hit the beach and travelled across the sand. Picture: Angel Rock-lover Pakito/Facebook

Playa Maruata, also known as Maruata beach, is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in Michoacan for its turquoise waters and golden sand.

It is actually three adjoining beaches nestled between mountains and coves, and is known for snorkelling and swimming.

The odds of being struck by lightning in a given year are less than one in a million and only about 10 per cent of people struck by lightning die, most commonly because of a heart attack, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

A direct strike is often fatal, but lightning can cause other injuries by striking an object the victim is touching, bouncing off an object on to a victim, or striking the ground and then the current passing through the ground and into the victim.

When the air is charged with electricity during a lightning storm, bursts of energy can also come upward from objects near the ground.

People can suffer injuries from the sound of lightning, like ruptured eardrums, and from falling or being thrown against an object.

The CDC instructs people caught outside during a lightning storm to never lie on the ground as electric currents along the top of the ground can be deadly more than 30 metres away.

You should get inside and always avoid trees.

As a last resort, crouch down in a ball-like position. With your feet together, squat low, tuck your head, and cover your ears.