Video | A lightning bolt hits a runway at Sao Paulo Airport, causing some damage

ArabiaWeather - A lightning bolt struck the ground of an aircraft runway at Guarulhos International Airport in Sao Paulo - Brazil yesterday evening, and the runway was closed until the damage caused by the lightning bolt was repaired in the asphalt of the floor, leaving a relatively large gap in the runway floor.

Although these accidents are an unusual event, they may occur in some parts of the world. Last year, maintenance crews at Pittsburgh International Airport in the United States had to repair a runway after it was hit by a lightning bolt and the collision left a hole three feet deep in The runway floor. This time, however, the crater at Sao Paulo Airport appears a little larger.

Around Sao Paulo airport

Guarulhos International Airport is the most important airport in Brazil, and the runway that was struck by lightning is one of two runways of Guarulhos International Airport, which is the shortest and most used runway, as it is 3000 meters long and 45 meters wide, and the second runway is 3,700 meters long and 60 meters wide In 2015, this runway was expanded to receive an Airbus A380 , to serve Emirates Airlines that uses A380s on its flights between Dubai and Sao Paulo.

But what happens if a lightning bolt strikes a plane?

Aircraft are exposed to lightning strikes more commonly than some might think, however, it is not a cause for concern, as the fuselage is designed to act as a Faraday cage to protect those inside the plane, so that electrical charge travels along the fuselage.

Sometimes, lightning may affect aircraft tools, but most of the time it does not cause damage. Of the 3,000 aircraft accidents since 2000, only eight were caused by lightning strikes.