NEWCASTLE, Okla. – A police vehicle in Oklahoma was damaged after it was struck by lightning Monday, and the moment was caught on video.
"Just minutes ago, lightning struck a Newcastle police car during the storms," Newcastle Emergency Management said in a Facebook post. "No one was hurt, but that could have been anyone."
Powerful storms raced across the central U.S. on Monday, including Oklahoma. These thunderstorms produced vivid cloud-to-ground lightning, strong wind gusts and even tornadoes.
"(The video) is a scary reminder of the dangers of lightning," FOX Weather Meteorologist Marissa Torres said. "Who knows where it’s going to strike?"
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Cars, however, are a safe place to be when lightning is flashing around you during severe weather because the vehicle is grounded.
"The physical phenomenon, it’s called the Faraday cage," FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan said.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY LIGHTNING?
According to the National Weather Service, about 20 lightning fatalities occur each year on average. Last month, a North Carolina corrections officer died after being struck by lightning. He was the first known lightning fatality in the U.S. this year.
To help Americans remain aware of the dangers of lightning, the agency developed the slogans: "When thunder roars, go indoors" and "See a flash, dash inside."
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