Karmactive Staff
One of the most famous symbols in the world, the Statue of Liberty, had an intense start to April: in less than 48 hours, it was struck by lightning during severe storms on Wednesday and then shaken by an earthquake reported yesterday in New York, all on the eve of a solar eclipse this Monday.
It is not unusual for the Statue to be struck by lightning, as it happens several times a year and indeed the same photographer captured a similar image on April 23, 2023. AccuWeather.com explained that the exact number of times the Statue of Liberty is struck by lightning each year is unknown. However, they noted that its height and the copper cladding, which conducts electricity, make it an easy target for lightning strikes.
What is rare are seismic movements in the New York Bay area, and this occurred yesterday morning, less than 48 hours after the lightning strike captured at sunset on Wednesday. Approximately 42 million people felt the earthquake at 10:23 a.m., according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It seems to have shaken areas as far south as Washington D.C. and as far north as the border between New York and Canada, with an epicenter in Lebanon (NJ).
No injuries or physical damage were reported in New York City, but three buildings in Newark, New Jersey’s most populous city, were structurally affected and 10 families were evacuated.
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On Wednesday, the Statue of Liberty was struck by lightning, and today it was shaken by an earthquake.
In response to a question from a social media user about the duration of his wait in the storm to capture the image, Martland explained that he uses weather apps to plan his photography sessions. He mentioned that there have been occasions where he spent up to eight hours outside without success. However, on Wednesday, he only had to wait an hour before the storm quickly moved on.
Since 1886, the Statue – the most recognized symbol of the U.S. – has stood on Liberty Island as an image of freedom and justice, but it has not always been green. When it was completed, the copper panels shone like a new coin. However, over the years, the copper color changed to green as the metal oxidized.
French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi had no idea that the copper statue would change to its iconic blue-green color about 20 years later, according to Edward Berenson, professor of history at New York University (NYU) and author of the book “The Statue of Liberty: A Transatlantic Story”.
