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Video captures exact moment Empire State Building is struck by lightning

Posted at 9:11 AM, Jul 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-26 09:11:22-04

NEW YORK — A photographer captured the exact moment lightning hit the Empire State Building during Monday's storm.

Video shows the midtown skyscraper towering above Manhattan as a summer thunderstorm soaks the city, when suddenly a rose-colored bolt of lightning zaps the iconic building.

The video was shot by Henrik Moltke, who uploaded it to YouTube and Twitter before it went viral on social media. As of 10:40 p.m. EDT, the photo had nearly 1,000 retweets and 1,200 likes.

Monday's storm came during a heat wave that sent temperatures soaring into the high 90s.

The Empire State Building is struck by lightning an average of 23 times per year, but it's rarely caught on camera.