Lightning strikes house in Northfleet as storm marks end of summer
Published: 13:10, 22 September 2024
Summer ended with a bang when lightning struck a house in Kent.
A video of the moment it hit was captured by a resident in Northfleet in the early hours of today.
It comes as the Met Office warned last night that up to 50mm of rain could fall in less than six hours across the county.
A yellow weather warning for rain has been issued for Monday from midnight for 24 hours.
The video, captured by Northfleet resident Elaine Wills shows a house being struck by the lightning bolt, followed by a huge bang.
She told KentOnline: “It’s taken the internet down over a massive area.
“Appliances have also blown in most households.”
Some locations could see 80-100mm of water develop throughout the day with the warning spreading across large parts of the country.
The warning issued by meteorologists is set to last the entire day and may lead to some disruption.
In Marden, near Maidstone, lightning was reported to have hit a street light.
Commenting on social media, one person said: "The thunder cut off my electric - was the loudest one I've heard in my life."
Another added: "The flash was huge and so bright! The sound instantly came after! Was a scary one."
The Met Office warned that some communities may be cut off by flooded roads, while spray could create difficult driving conditions for commuters.
In addition, the yellow warning could impact train and bus services with “impactful rain” throughout the course of the day.
There is potential that 30-50mm could develop in any part of the warning area.
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Oliver Leonard