It e n t i r e l y depends upon how close -- and how intense.
It's kind of like being a soldier during a heavy bombardment. If the shell hits too close... no-one hears another word.
If the action is even half-a-mile away... no biggie.
Lightning is like that.
EMF travels ALL routes ... it's just that the EMF takes the least resistance route every moment in time.
It's also REFLEXIVE. THat is: the current that is flowing in that instant has a direct and prompt bearing on how the entire system will shunt the flow. This is solved in normal circuits by using GOOD conductors: copper, silver, etc. so that the juice ALWAYS stays flowing within / on the skin of insulated/ even uninsulated conductors.
In a lightning event, stuff that one would never consider suitable become part of the conducting 'network.' Electricians try and keep that network from including living humans.
Such is our art.
Thank you Franklin!
