Social media platforms in France circulated a video capturing a terrifying moment when a lightning bolt struck a massive tree, reducing it to fragments in seconds in the municipality of Augy, located in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region in the west of the country. The video, which has garnered over one and a half million views, showcases the power of the lightning strike, which shattered the tree to the point of disappearance following heavy rainfall in the city.
For his part, Augy Mayor Laurent Baloge stated in an interview with BFM TV that the footage being shared is indeed powerful, but fortunately, the area did not experience significant losses except for some material damage.
Lightning is a natural phenomenon that appears as an electric spark, resulting from a sudden and violent discharge in charged atmospheric areas. When the electrical discharge is strong between clouds and a charged object on the ground, it is referred to as lightning, with accompanying thunder being termed a strike. According to the American Meteorological Society, lightning kills about 20 people each year in the United States, injuring hundreds more, while some survivors suffer lifelong neurological damage.
