Lightning bolt stretching 768-km in US sets new world record

A lightning bolt that stretched for 768 kilometres across three United States (US) states in 2020 is the new world record holder for the longest single flash, confirmed the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

The single lightning bolt, that struck Louisiana on April 29, 2020, stretched across the sky for nearly 770 kilometres over three states to set the world record. According to WMO, the megaflash stretched across the states of Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.

WMO shared the news on Twitter and told their followers that the record has been verified.

WMO has verified 2 new world records for a⚡️lightning #megaflash
Longest distance single flash of 768 km (477.2 miles) across southern #USA – 60 kilometres MORE than old record
Greatest duration of 17.102 seconds over #Uruguay and northern #Argentina https://t.co/6AzyzTgMIO pic.twitter.com/VqUgxEDHB2

— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) February 1, 2022

The distance covered by the lightning bolt was equivalent to the distance between New York City and Columbus, Ohio, or between London and the German city of Hamburg, WMO said in a statement.

The previous record was 708 kilometres set in Brazil on October 31, 2019. The latest flash lasted for 17.102 seconds, beating the previous record by 0.37 seconds, the WMO announced.