BOGOTA, Colombia

A lightning strike injured at least 89 people during a rally in support of former President Jair Bolsonaro in Brasilia on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

The incident occurred during the closing stage of the demonstration at Praça do Cruzeiro as protesters gathered amid heavy rain while awaiting the arrival of Federal Deputy Nikolas Ferreira (PL-MG). Video footage shared on social media shows the moment the lightning struck the crowd.

Firefighters treated 89 people at the scene, with 47 of them later taken to nearby hospitals for further care. Most have since been discharged, while seven people remain hospitalized in stable condition.

Authorities said 11 individuals were struck directly by the lightning, while 36 others sustained secondary injuries, including falls, sprains, and hypothermia caused by severe weather conditions.

Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) reported that at least 64 lightning strikes were recorded in the Federal District during the protest.

Brazil has the highest incidence of lightning in the world, averaging about 78 million strikes annually - roughly 8,000 strikes per minute - according to INPE data.

The Ministry of Health has said the survival rate from a direct lightning strike is about 2%, while injuries are more commonly caused by ground currents spreading from the point of impact.

Osmar Pinto Junior, coordinator of INPE’s Atmospheric Electricity Group, said public events should follow stricter safety protocols, adding that the demonstration should have been postponed or canceled due to the severity of the storm.