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© History Oasis
A fascinating compilation of remarkable lightning strike incidents throughout history, showcasing both the destructive power of nature and the incredible resilience of those who have survived multiple strikes.
As well as highlighting some of the most notable lightning-related events that have captured public attention.
Roy Sullivan, a park ranger in Shenandoah National Park, survived seven lightning strikes between 1942 and 1977, earning him the nickname "Human Lightning Rod" and a place in the Guinness World Records.
After being struck by lightning while fishing, Sullivan had to fight off a bear that was trying to steal his catch—all while his hair was on fire from the lightning strike.
Melvin Roberts, a 62-year-old man from South Carolina, claims to have been struck by lightning an incredible 11 times, including incidents while driving a bulldozer, mowing the lawn, and standing on his front porch.
Roberts possesses a collection of broken watches, each frozen at the exact moment he was allegedly struck, though lightning experts remain skeptical of the possibility of surviving so many direct strikes.
Walter Summerford, a British army officer during WWI, was reportedly struck by lightning three times in his life—once in Belgium during the war, again while fishing in Canada in 1924, and a final time in 1930 which left him paralyzed until his death in 1932.
In a bizarre twist of fate, Summerford's grave was allegedly struck by lightning in 1936, four years after his death, shattering his headstone and leading many to speculate that he was cursed.
The Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, one of Brazil's most iconic landmarks, has faced nature's wrath multiple times since its inauguration in 1931, with lightning strikes damaging its thumb and occurring an average of three to five times per year.
The 38-meter-tall Art Deco sculpture underwent a $4 million restoration in 2010, yet continues to bear the brunt of extreme weather, as evidenced by a particularly intense storm in 2014 that delivered one of the highest numbers of lightning strikes ever recorded in Brazil since monitoring began in 1999.
In 1769, a lightning strike ignited 90,000 kg of gunpowder stored in Brescia, Italy, causing a massive explosion that destroyed one-sixth of the city and reportedly killed thousands.
This disaster led Benjamin Franklin to engage in a debate over whether pointed or blunt lightning rods should be used to protect British government gunpowder stores, with Franklin advocating for pointed rods.
On December 8, 1963, Pan Am Flight 214 exploded mid-air near Elkton, Maryland, killing all 81 people on board in what was determined to be the first commercial airline crash caused by a lightning strike.
The aircraft involved, named Clipper Tradewind, was the oldest jet in the U.S. commercial fleet at the time and had previously survived an incident in 1959 where its right outboard engine was torn from the wing during a training flight in France, yet managed to land safely in London using only three engines.
On November 14, 1969, Apollo 12 was struck by lightning twice during launch, causing widespread electrical failures that nearly doomed the mission.
Thanks to the quick thinking of EECOM John Aaron, who recalled a similar issue from a previous test and suggested the obscure command "SCE to AUX," the crew was able to restore telemetry and continue their journey to become the second manned mission to land on the Moon.
In September 2010, photographer Jay Fine captured an incredible image of lightning striking the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor after spending nearly two hours waiting and taking over 80 shots to get the perfect moment.
This iconic photograph is believed to be the first of its kind, showcasing a phenomenon that occurs surprisingly often, as Lady Liberty is estimated to be struck by around 600 lightning bolts every year since her construction in 1886.
In 1998, a bizarre and tragic incident occurred in the Democratic Republic of Congo when all 11 players on a football team were struck dead by lightning during a match, while their opponents remained completely unharmed.
The freak occurrence led to accusations of witchcraft between fans. As there is a prevalence of supernatural beliefs in the region, where it was reportedly common for teams to hire witchdoctors to place hexes on their opponents.
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