Lightning strikes Florida highway causing ‘chunk of road’ to fly through truck windshield, officials say
Credit: Walton County Fire Rescue
DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Fla. - A lightning strike in the Florida Panhandle led to an chain reaction that injured two people inside a vehicle.
On Monday, around 7:30 a.m, the driver of a pickup truck was heading east on Interstate 10 near DeFuniak Springs when a bolt of lightning struck the roadway.
According to Walton County Fire Rescue, it caused a chunk of road to break off and fly through the windshield of the truck. The two occupants inside were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries. Fire rescue officials did not specify the extent of their injuries.
Photos provided by the agency show a gaping hole in the front windshield. The rear window was also shattered. The headrest for the center backseat was pushed back.
Credit: Walton County Fire Rescue
The National Weather Service forecast reported a 70% chance of thunderstorms for Monday morning and afternoon.
Last month, a study out of Finland found that Oklahoma has more lightning events than Florida, however, the Sunshine State still has more cloud-to-ground strikes than any other state.