A Staten Island man, Thomas Fahmy, survived being struck by lightning while walking to his car during a thunderstorm last Thursday, an incident captured on CCTV footage showing him collapse before staggering home for help. The case highlights how rare and unpredictable such strikes can be, coming just weeks after a lightning strike in Florida killed a two-year-old girl and left her mother fighting for life.

Fahmy, who works for US Representative Nicole Malliotakis, described a burning, tingling sensation and severe pain in both feet, but escaped without visible burns or major injuries. He was treated overnight at Staten Island University Hospital before being discharged, aided by a neighbour who rushed to help after hearing his cries. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, around 37 million lightning strikes occur annually in America, with odds of being hit below one in a million and a survival rate of roughly 90 per cent.