The lights stayed on following last night’s spectacular lightning strike of Auckland’s Sky Tower.

The tower is fully equipped to withstand lightning and has one of the most advanced systems for tower protection. The Tower is fully earthed to prevent danger from lightning and is equipped with a dynasphere on top of the mast to conduct lightning. This system ensures the safety of guests within the tower, who will only hear a thunder clap not the strike of lightning itself.

“The aviation lights, power and telecommunications all kept working, just as designed,” said Callum Mallett, SkyCity Chief Operating Officer. “The tower is an icon of Auckland, built to exacting engineering standards that, 26 years after being built, remain gold standard.”

In addition, the tower has been designed to remain essentially undamaged during storms with winds gusting to 200km/hr, which can result in sway at the top of the concrete shaft of approximately one metre. The tower experiences up to 10 strikes a year.

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