Makkah: The intriguing videos and images of Clock Tower in Makkah al Mukarramah is widely shared on different social media platforms as lightning and thunderstorm hit the Holy City in the last two days.
The viral images show the Clock Tower in Makkah standing high and steady as lightning bolts strike the Golden Crescent atop the iconic building located very close to the Grand Mosque in Makkah or Haram al-Makki.
Makkah, home to Islam’s holiest sites, has seen extreme storms and rain that affected pilgrims, shuttered schools and caused chaotic scenes.
Videos online on Tuesday showed pilgrims who were doing the Tawaf – circling the Kaaba – getting soaked and slipping on the floor as heavy rains thrashed and carried objects around.
The intensity of the thunderstorm was so strong that Muadhin, during Adhan, while making calls to prayers, asked the believers to stay home and pray there.
“Sallu fi Buyutikum (Pray at your homes)”, they added the line in their Adhaan, call to prayers.
LA MECQUE - En raison des violents orages, dans toutes les mosquées de La Mecque l’adhan indique :صلوا في بيوتكمالصلاة في البيوت« Priez dans vos maisons.La prière dans les maisons. » pic.twitter.com/p7KNRmeZt5— Culture & Islam (@islamculturel) August 24, 2023
LA MECQUE - En raison des violents orages, dans toutes les mosquées de La Mecque l’adhan indique :صلوا في بيوتكمالصلاة في البيوت« Priez dans vos maisons.La prière dans les maisons. » pic.twitter.com/p7KNRmeZt5
Amidst this the images that caught the eyes of the people are that of Clock Tower Makkah. People wonder why does the lighting only strike the crescent of the Clock Tower?
The answer to this question is the special design of the Makkah Clock Tower and it’s ability to handling lightning and thunderstorm.
“Lightning only strikes the crescent moon on top of the clock tower because the Makkah clock contains 20 automatically extending lightning conductors, and 800 fixed rods to protect the Watch and Lights from lightning”, TheHolyMosques explained on X, formerly known as Twitter.
TheHolyMosques minutely tracks all the happenings in and around the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
Lightning striking the Clock Tower in Makkah pic.twitter.com/FSj6dQtmnp— (@Alhamdhulillaah) August 22, 2023
Lightning striking the Clock Tower in Makkah pic.twitter.com/FSj6dQtmnp
At the very top of the Clock Tower, there’s a long and massive lightning rod. This rod acts like a magnet for lightning. When a bolt of lightning comes down, the rod guides the dangerous electricity safely into the ground. It does this using special metals like Copper and Aluminium. The arrangement protects the Clock Tower doesn’t get hurt by the powerful burst of energy from the lightning.
Lightning is Electricity, and Electricity takes the fastest route to the ground. In the case of something like the Makkah Clock Tower, the lightning will strike the lightning rod, since it is the tower’s highest point. Once charged, the lightning will follow the copper wire down until it can get discharged into the ground safely.
The lightning rod and wiring serves to divert the current to the exterior, largely to prevent electrical equipment upsets. This makes people inside the large, mostly steel building at almost zero risk.
The system not only protect from lightning the Clock Tower but also the adjoining areas.
Similar system is used to protect other tall buildings and high-risers like the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, Petronas Twin Tower in Kuala Lumpur and Empire Building in New York City.
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