WILKES COUNTY, N.C. — A couple in Wilkes County said a lightning strike hit a tree near their home Thursday as they were sitting on their porch about 20 feet away and they caught it all on camera.
"We were just sitting out there talking and we heard thunder off in the distance but nothing close so we just kept talking and out of nowhere it was just this massive intense pop and the tree exploded and wood went flying," said Amanda Miller.
Amanda and her husband Phil caught the incident on their Ring security camera.
"It felt kind of like a bomb went off on the tree, with parts of the tree flying everywhere," Phil said.
The Millers said the lightning also hit the driveway and potentially the tires of their car. Photos show small holes in the driveway near where the tires were sitting.
The couple said no one was hurt during the incident and the car was fine as well. They said they were thankful they weren't closer.
"After this happened we were out on the back porch and we found pieces of bark that had flown up over the two-story house and landed on the back porch," said Phil.
Phil Miller said the tree was already dead and they believe a previous lightning strike killed it.
"There are other trees of similar size all around it and they say lightning doesn’t strike twice but that poor poplar tree would tell us differently," Phil said.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, even though it's a long-held myth, lightning can, and often does, strike the same place more than once.
"You could feel the shockwave of it almost like rip through your body," said Amanda. "It shook everything. It was the most intense thing I’ve ever experienced."
The couple plans to have the tree removed on Tuesday.