Jakarta, ThedailyID — Lightning struck the Eiffel Tower during a powerful thunderstorm that swept across Paris on Saturday night. The dramatic moment quickly spread across social media.
Videos showed a bright bolt hitting the top of the 330-meter landmark before traveling down its steel structure. People carrying umbrellas gathered near the monument as heavy rain moved across the French capital.
“This is a spectacular and extraordinary event that only a few people get to witness,” one user wrote on X while sharing footage of the strike.
Another user shared a video from a different angle. The post described the storm as one of the strongest to hit the Paris skyline that night.
Despite the dramatic images, experts said the strike posed little danger. Engineers specifically designed the Eiffel Tower to withstand lightning because of its iron framework and advanced grounding system.
The tower acts as a giant Faraday cage, a concept developed by physicist Michael Faraday in the 19th century. When lightning strikes, electrical current travels through the metal structure before the grounding system safely channels it into the earth in less than a second.
Modern surge protection also shields the tower’s elevators, lighting equipment, communication systems and other electronics from damage.
Authorities continuously monitor weather conditions around the landmark. They may temporarily close parts of the tower during severe thunderstorms or strong winds to protect visitors.
Lightning strikes are common at the Eiffel Tower. The monument attracts five to 10 strikes every year because of its height and metal structure.
The storm arrived as France continued battling an intense heatwave. Temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in several regions over recent days.
French public health officials said the extreme heat has already caused around 1,000 excess deaths since June 24. The heatwave has also spread across much of Western Europe, putting millions of people at risk and increasing pressure on healthcare systems.
