Lightning strikes the Statue of Liberty. See pics

New York City photographer Dan Martland captured a flash of lightning striking the Statue of Liberty on Wednesday. The lightning bolt appears to be emerging from Lady Liberty's torch, making for an electric portrait. (Image credits: Instagram/ @dantvusa)

He posted the pictures on Instagram and wrote, "She’s Electric! This afternoons passing storm didn’t disappoint. The #StatueOfLibery getting zapped by a bolt of Lightning. My first strike of 2024" Just two days before a powerful earthquake shook the city and its surrounding areas, a severe storm hit bringing with it strong winds, torrential rain.(Image credits: Instagram/ @dantvusa)

Martland, in response to a social media inquiry about the duration of his wait to capture the stunning image, said, "I typically rely on weather apps to gauge conditions before venturing out for a shoot," Martland stated. "There have been occasions where I've spent up to eight hours without capturing anything noteworthy. However, today's wait was merely an hour as the storm passed swiftly. The apps indicated no further imminent weather cells heading my way."
(Image credits: Instagram/ @dantvusa)

Addressing queries regarding the authenticity of his images, Martland clarified that his shots are genuine and not artificially staged. He elaborated that he employed a lightning trigger to capture the precise moments of lightning strikes.
(Image credits: Instagram/ @dantvusa)

This recent capture isn't the photographer's first encounter with lightning illuminating the Statue of Liberty. A similar striking image from April 2023 can also be found on his Instagram account.
(Image credits: Instagram/ @dantvusa)