Incredible image captures a gigantic lightning bolt as it strikes the side of a mountain in America

‘It blew the tree into what had to be a million pieces’

(Phil Garcia / SWNS.COM)

An incredible image has captured a gigantic lightning bolt as it strikes the side of a mountain.

The wild photo was taken by Phil Garcia, while out hiking with his friends in Pecos, New Mexico.

The bolt of lightning can be seen piercing through the sky and igniting the trees on the hillside.

Phil, 28, who works at a ski resort in Santa Fe, only managed to grab one shot of the lightning bolt – but was perfect in his timing.

He said: “We were hiking up in the back trails when we saw one pop off right before that one – so I pulled out my camera.

“The sound – it was wild. We were kind of worried, so we got out of there pretty quick.

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“You could feel the energy. It blew the tree into what had to be a million pieces – all that was left was the trunk.

“It was just smouldering.”

Article courtesy of SWNS