Venezuela's everlasting lightning storm enters Guiness Book of World Records

Venezuela lightning storm enters book of world records

Venezuela's Catatumbo has secured the title of the place with the most lightning strikes in the Guinness Book of Records.

Catatumbo took the title from the Congolese town of Kifuka.

According to ITV, lightning occurs during 140 to 160 nights a year, 10 hours per day and up to 280 times per hour over Lake Maracaibo.

Lake Maracaibo basin is surrounded by mountains that trap warm trade winds coming off the Caribbean. These winds condense into thunderclouds as they crash into cool air from the Andes.

The thunderclouds create an average 28 strikes per minute across a wide area.

Scientists think the Catatumbo is normal lightning that just happens to occur far more than anywhere else, due to local topography and wind patterns, reports the Telegraph.

According to Yahoo News, Venezuela's lightning has helped thwart at least two nocturnal invasions of the country.