Killer Lightning, 6 Earthquakes, Deadly Flash Floods: Mother Nature Hits NJ Hard In July

The Garden State has been struck by lightning, earthquakes, flash flooding and even a waterspout so far this July—and there is still more than a week left to go.

As global warming, extreme heat and other environmental conditions influence weather patterns across the United States, New Jersey’s summer has been marred by multiple points of devastation.

Here's a recap of the incidents:

Lightning Strikes

The odds of getting struck by lightning are less than one in a million, according to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention. Over just the last two weeks, two people were killed and at least 14 others were injured in multiple strikes across the state.

According to the National Weather Service, there is an average of 20 people killed each year across the United States from lightning strikes.

On July 8, Simon Mariani, 28 of Franklin Lakes was golfing at Ballyowen Golf Course in Hamburg when he was struck. He was found lying down on the course and flown to the hospital. Mariani later died from his injuries. MORE FROM PATCH: NJ Golfer Who Was Struck By Lightning Dies

On July 16, Robert Montgomery, 61 of Cinnaminson, was at an archery range in Jackson when he was hit. A group of 14 others, including children, were also injured. Montgomery died from his injuries, while a group of the others that were there for a Cub Scout outing suffered burns and other forms of pain from the strike. MORE FROM PATCH: 'Sneakers And Socks Blown Off His Feet': New Details In Fatal Jersey Shore Lightning Strike

According to the BBC, the most people hit in a single lightning strike ever recorded was 17 at a wedding in Bangladesh in 2021.

Earthquakes

There have been six earthquakes officially confirmed in New Jersey over just the last two days as of Tuesday afternoon. While these were smaller-scale "micro" quakes, it was just last year that the state recorded its largest in more than 241 years. On April 5, 2024, a 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit about three miles under ground near Oldwick in Tewksbury Township in Hunterdon County.

On Monday morning, a 1.6 magnitude earthquake hit Morris County. This was only the beginning for northern New Jersey, with an additional five more shakes on the way. MORE FROM PATCH: 6 Earthquakes In 24 Hours Confirmed In NJ—5 In One Town

While the typical "micro" earthquake is not felt on the surface, the ones over the last two days in New Jersey provided an aftershock of online reaction.

“The noises and shaking continues. It is very unsettling,” one person wrote Monday on the Nextdoor app. “Here are the times 5:45 a.m., 6 a.m. 6:15 a.m. 1:30 p.m…. 2 hard slams that shook (the) house (at) 3:35 p.m., 3:39 p.m. Is any town or county agency looking into this?”

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, nearly 60 NJ residents reported they felt Monday morning’s earthquake, and just over 50 reported feeling more shaking later that evening.

Aftershocks can be brief, but also be felt for years after a mainshock hits the ground.

Deadly Flooding

Last week, all of New Jersey's 21 counties were under a State of Emergency as torrential flooding inundated many parts of the state on Monday evening.

The deaths occurred in Plainfield, after a car was swept away in the rising waters. Two women in their 60s — Lubia Estevez and Forest Whitlock — died in the incident and were later pulled from the submerged vehicle. MORE FROM PATCH: 2 Women Killed In NJ Flood

Some areas of the states saw as much as 6.51 inches of rain, leading to the destruction of homes and dozens of water rescues. See which towns were hit the hardest here.

Waterspouts

The National Weather Service has also confirmed a waterspout off Island Beach State Park Tuesday, and issued a special marine warning. While it only lasted a few minutes, according to News 12 New Jersey, waterspouts share the same characteristics as land tornadoes, and can actually develop into one if they cross onto the surface.