Angel Moroni Statue on Nauvoo Temple hit by Lightning

On Friday, June 28, 2019 at around 2 pm lightning struck the top of the angel Moroni statue on the Nauvoo temple.  We were in the underground temple parking lot across the street from the temple when this happened.  We saw a flash of light and simultaneously heard a very loud boom.  We knew the lightning struck very close to us but because of the heavy rain we didn't know exactly where it hit until the next day.  

Those in the temple said it felt like an earthquake.  In the temple lights flickered, scanners were effected, and security cameras were impacted.  But the temple continued to have a normal schedule and operations the rest of the day.

I have read that lightning strikes occur involving the tall temple steeples around the world and the statues are wired with grounding devices to minimize the damage and control the effects of such a strike.  In this case I think the grounding devices worked pretty well.

Below are some pictures of the Angel Moroni on top of the Nauvoo Temple.

Normal Statue of Angel Moroni

Closer view -- notice the head and the trumpet - blackened.

Angel Moroni statue after the lightning struck