Video shows lightning strike Russian TV tower

Spectacular video shows lightning strike a television tower in Russia's second city during a storm, leaving the building in the dark.

Russian news agency Ria Novosti reported that the head of the Leningrad Television Broadcasting Centre, Vladimir Baturin, said service from the tower was disrupted for a few minutes after the strike.

The tower is the highest point of St. Petersburg and acts as a lightning rod - although infrequently - when storms pass directly overhead, Baturin said.

Video of the lightening strike was originally published on the Russian language irilllonok.livejournal.com website.