Listeners:
Top listeners:
-
play_arrow
Lightning Strikes Kill in U.S. and Europe Amid Extreme Weather
by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
WASHINGTON/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – A series of deadly lightning strikes has claimed lives in the United States and Europe, officials said Thursday, underscoring the dangers of ongoing extreme weather across the Northern Hemisphere.
In the United States a 61-year-old archery instructor was killed late Wednesday when lightning struck the Black Knight Bowbenders Archery Club in the Jackson Township of the U.S. state of New Jersey, authorities confirmed.
The man was giving a lesson when the strike occurred shortly after 7 p.m. local time. Thirteen others—ranging in age from 7 to 61—were reportedly injured and taken to the hospital, several with burns.
Four of the injured children remain in serious condition, local media said. It was the second fatal lightning strike in New Jersey in just one week.
Elsewhere in Europe, Norwegian Olympic medalist Audun Grønvold died after being struck by lightning during a mountain trip, officials said.
The 49-year-old former alpine and freestyle skier, who won bronze in ski cross at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries Tuesday evening. After retiring from competitive skiing, Grønvold worked as a coach and television commentator. The Norwegian Ski Federation called his death “a great loss for both alpine and freestyle skiing.”
WIDESPREAD FLOODING
The deadly lightning strike in New Jersey occurred during a period of widespread flooding and violent thunderstorms in the state.
On Wednesday evening, authorities issued flood and storm warnings across the state, urging residents to stay indoors and exercise caution. The severe weather led Governor Phil Murphy to declare “a state of emergency” earlier in the week.
Since late Monday, heavy rainfall has triggered flash floods in New Jersey and neighboring New York state, flooding roads, homes, and public transit systems.
New York City’s emergency management office warned residents in basements and low-lying areas to evacuate to higher ground. Videos on social media showed water pouring into subway stations, with significant delays on multiple train lines and complete shutdowns, including on Staten Island.
In Scotch Plains, floodwaters reached waist height, prompting firefighters to launch rescue operations using heavy equipment. Major highways were closed in New Providence, and ongoing water rescues were reported.
New York’s Bronx River Parkway, known for flooding during heavy rains, saw water levels rise “very, very quickly,” local officials said. Firefighters rescued multiple people trapped in vehicles.
MORE SUFFERING
There was also suffering in the U.S. state of Virginia, where cities like Colonial Heights and Petersburg were warned of potential “catastrophic damage” due to continued flooding, with residents urged to move to higher ground.
The volatile weather has affected millions, and as the summer season intensifies, preparations for future storms are urgent.
It comes after Worthy News reported on a week that defied probability and stunned the nation, as a string of weather catastrophes already swept from Texas to Illinois, with four separate “1-in-1,000-year” floods that turned roads into rivers, homes into wreckage, and left at least 125 dead.
According to experts, the phrase “1-in-1,000-year event” refers to rare storms with only a 0.1 percent chance of occurring in any given year at a specific location.
Yet within days, catastrophic floods were reported in distant corners of the country, leaving experts stunned and communities scrambling to recover.
“To see historic, record-breaking events in multiple parts of the country in one week is even more alarming,” said Kristina Dahl, Vice President for Science at Climate Central.
The latest weather-related catastrophes have led to new calls to better prepare much of the United States and the Northern Hemisphere for more turbulence ahead.
(With additional reporting by the Worthy News Washington D.C. and Worthy News Europe Bureaus.)
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
Anti-immigration and local parties made gains in municipal elections in the Netherlands, where concerns over rising migration from mainly Islamic countries, the financial impact of climate policies, and increased defense spending have dominated national and local debates.
Israel signaled Thursday it would refrain from further attacks on energy infrastructure after a strike on Iran’s vast South Pars natural gas field triggered retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, sending oil and natural gas prices sharply higher and raising fears of a wider regional escalation.
European Union leaders condemned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s decision on Thursday to block a 90 billion euro ($98 billion) loan for Ukraine, linking his stance to a dispute with Kyiv over Russian oil supplies.
Families and friends of scores of Christians held in Iranian prisons have requested prayers as “concerns for their well-being grow and communication has all but ceased” amid ongoing U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran, Christians told Worthy News Thursday.
As a marathon debate over the SAVE America Act continues in the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats are sparring over whether the voter ID bill would strengthen election security or discourage potential voters.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Thursday that Iran has lost its ability to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles following nearly three weeks of coordinated U.S.-Israeli airstrikes, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing regional conflict.
Israel dramatically expanded its military campaign against Iran, striking Iranian Navy targets in the Caspian Sea for the first time since the launch of “Operation Roaring Lion,” the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Thursday.
WHO WE ARE
The Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs encapsulate the beauty, wisdom, and eternal truths found in the Bible, creating an immersive experience that resonates with believers and seekers alike.
CONTACT
- +1 908 280-4246
- Essex County, USA
- info@tnjrfm.com