1 lightning strike in Petal caused damage to several homes

PETAL, Miss. (WDAM) -Only three weeks into 2023.. and already, the Pine Belt already has seen two, First Alert Weather days.

Tuesday was one of them.

Minimal damage was reported across the Pine Belt, but one lighting strike reportedly touched the ground.

Over the past few weeks, we have seen hundreds of lightning strikes across the Pine Belt.

While cloud-to-ground lighting accounts for about 20 percent of all lightning strikes, those strikes can damage property in an instant.

Petal Fire Chief Joe Hendry said that your house is the safest place to be during a storm.

“You need to get in the house if you have a lightning strike or if lightning is in the area,” Hendry said. “Certainly, don’t be under trees or poles, around fencing or anything like that.”

Staying outside during any storm is dangerous for several reasons, including the obvious hail and heavy rain.

But lighting strikes can be unpredictable, and being outside, there’s more risk of being harmed.

“A lot of times, we get notices on our phones when lightning struck within two miles or five miles of your location and it’s best to not be outside.” Hendry said.

As storm clouds rolled through Petal on Tuesday, one lightning strike affected several people on one road.

Luckily, everyone was inside when the lightning hit.

“It had ran through some underground gas lines and water lines and had struck in several different places,” Hendry said. “There was no significant damage, it didn’t start a fire or anything, but it scared people enough that they were nervous about it and they called because it will leave the smell of smoke in the air even if it hits the ground around the house.”

Make sure you stay safe during thunderstorms by remaining indoors and being weather-aware.

Any concerns that lightning hit or struck near a house, call the fire department.

To ensure you are receiving weather alerts, invest in a weather radio and also download our First Alert Weather App

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