Electric charge felt when one gets a shock from a doorknob or other object usually is between 25 thousand and 30 thousand volts. However, the electric current only flows briefly, so the flow of electrons through the person's body does not cause physical harm. On the other hand, when clouds gain electrical charges they have even higher voltages and the amperage (the number of electrons that will flow in the lightning strike) can be very high. That means that electrons can jump from a cloud to the earth (or from the earth to a cloud). If those electrons go through a person, then the electric shock can burn or kill.