A mountain guide has shared an astounding video of a rare phenomenon only seen during a volcanic eruption. Volcanic lightning is seldom seen, and even more rarely is it captured on video.
The guide Chino Adventuras captured the rare footage while showing tourists the the summit of Volcán de Fuego in Guatemala.
Warning: some expletives can be heard:
The video shows the view from the summit of the peak, with several tourists standing around watching the volcano erupt. We then see several lightning bolts shoot from the cone amid black smoke and lava, and roughly four seconds later we hear the rumble of the thunder.
Sometimes called a “dirty thunderstorm”, volcanic lighting is caused by the electrical discharge caused by colliding, fragmenting particles of volcanic ash. These produce static electricity.
The earliest recording of this phenomenon was when Mount Vesuvius erupted in Pompeii, Italy in 79AD. That eruption caused the entire destruction of the two towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the remains can still be visited today.
Watching the footage from Guatemala, you can understand why the Romans thought that they had angered the Gods! It is truly spectacular! You can hear the shock and awe in the voices of the tourists as they witness the incredible event.
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