[minota]

Interesting. A possible explanation for some strange and poorly understood phenomenon accompanied by bright lights could be "earthquake lights", bright lights that appear in the sky around the time of an earthquake.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIEwKrvepH8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKMTSDzU1Z4

Not to say that it applies to this particular case. Just goes to show that there is much to this natural world we don't understand yet.

[PuffinBlue]

Does anyone actually take the 'evidence' in those videos seriously?

At 1:50 in that first video, the 'light' occurs and then amazingly the electricity goes off.

What a coincidence that is.

Also coincidentally the 'light' has similar colour characteristics to the arc flash of a high voltage electrical line/transformer shorting out.

And coincidentally at 4:40 the same scenario repeats!

It would have repeated again in the first minute if they'd been closer to the electrical circuit that faulted out.

The rest of the videos appear as borderline CGI (floodlights washed out in truck area)or some video of clouds.

[joshuaheard]

I have been through several earthquakes and have seen power pole transformers spark and explode as the oil inside splashes about and is ignited by the electricty. This could be a possible explanation for "earthquake lights".

[xattt]

This is the most plausible explanation. I’ve seen this effect during ice storms.

[gnulinux]

Huh. I've seen this exact blue/purple light in my hometown when I was a small kid (like 15 years ago). It was late night, we were in the patio with my family, eating nuts and talking, just a normal summer evening. We saw this light, and it deeply spooked us children. For years I was wondering what the hell was that. But since an earthquake didn't hit us that night (thanks god) I suppose it likely was something else.

[jupiter90000]

Man, the comments on those videos... just wow. Thanks for the entertainment.