An Edmonton woman is hospitalized after being struck by lightning during a severe thunderstorm on Thursday. The incident occurred in the Callingwood South neighborhood around 4 p.m. Laura Penner, a witness and friend of the victim, described the moment as the sky rumbled and cracked.

Penner was inside her home when her 21-year-old roommate crossed the street. Suddenly, a bright flash surrounded her friend, who then fell unconscious. "There was a light all around her and a big boom," Penner recounted.

The woman, whose name has not been released, is currently in a medically-induced coma as she recovers from her injuries. A spokesperson from Alberta Health Services reported that paramedics arrived at the scene shortly after the incident and transported the victim to the hospital in critical condition.

At the time of the strike, Edmonton was under a severe thunderstorm warning. Penner noted that rain had just begun to fall when her friend was injured. "Then there was a big boom and the big flash. And the flash was all around her," she said.

The victim suffered a cardiac arrest and severe burns on her shoulder and torso. Penner explained that her friend was standing in the grass beneath a large tree when the lightning struck. The burns were particularly severe on her abdomen and shoulder, where her sweater was singed.

Christy Climenhaga, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, stated that while direct lightning strikes are uncommon, indirect strikes are more frequent. On average, Canada sees two to three lightning-related deaths and about 180 injuries each year. In cases of indirect strikes, lightning may hit an object like a tree or fence before traveling to a person.

Climenhaga noted that the risk of lightning was heightened on Thursday, as the Edmonton area experienced two thunderstorms that produced 1,229 lightning flashes, marking one of the most active days for thunderstorms this season. "Lightning is a very real danger with thunderstorms and it can hit even very far from a thunderstorm. So it's why that there's that saying of when thunder roars go indoors," she advised.

As for Penner, she and her housemates are focused on supporting their friend during her recovery. They plan to visit her in the hospital on Friday, eager to provide comfort when she awakens from sedation. "It was very scary. I'm just glad she's safe and sound right now," Penner said.