Event narrative (NOAA)
The Gainesville Times reported that a 14-year old girl and her 17-month old cousin died when lightning struck a tree under which they were standing at Old Federal Park on Lake Lanier. The two died within an hour of the incident at a nearby hospital in Gainesville. The 14-year old was holding the little girl in her arms and standing underneath a tree when lightning struck. The two were not hit directly, but the lightning ran down the tree and into them. Lightning was also to blame for fires at eight homes and two businesses across the county.
Other notable lightning events in Georgia
Source: NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database. Deaths and injuries are those NOAA classifies as direct. Damage is the reporting office's estimate at the time and is not inflation-adjusted. This is a catalogue record, not a forecast.