Video shows lightning strike tree at Mississippi home, splitting it in half
BRANDON, Miss. - A shocking video captured at a Mississippi home shows the moment when a bolt of lightning hit a tree and split it in half.
Chad Roberts shared video from home security cameras that captured the bolt of lightning hitting the tree at his home in Brandon, Mississippi, on Facebook.
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Thunderstorms were reported in the region at the time, and more severe weather is expected in Mississippi on Sunday.
Most of the state is at risk of seeing thunderstorms. However, the highest risk appears to be centered across the northern third of the state, including the city of Tupelo.
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A photo showing a tree after a bolt of lightning struck it in Mississippi on Saturday, June 10, 2023. (Chad Roberts/Facebook)
Lightning deaths are back on the rise in the U.S., according to the National Lightning Safety Council. The agency counted 19 deaths across the nation last year from 15 separate thunderstorms – nearly double the number of deaths recorded in 2021 (11), though still a bit below the 10-year average of 22 and roughly half of what they used to average just as recently as 2007.
You might think the greatest risk of being hit by lightning would be from standing under a tree or being on open hillsides, but several lightning deaths have happened during mundane outdoor tasks, highlighting the dangers of lightning no matter what you're doing outdoors.
Never seek shelter under a tree or by waiting under a rain shelter or on a balcony.
Instead, it's advised to get inside as soon as possible.