Exceptionally violent summer thunderstorm in Belgrade today.
This is only the second time in my 50+ years that I've directly seen an object struck by lightning.
It was this street-lamp on the left here, which, as you can see, has been decapitated. I was sheltered about thirty meters away, close enough to see a blue-white levinbolt and a glorious shower of sparks.
The blast cracked the plastic hood, tore it loose from the pole and its own sheet-metal lining, and flung it across the street.
It blasted a latch loose....
And of course completely severed the wiring....
Once the deluge let up, I used the debris as a spontaneous plastic rain-hat.
