A shocking video has emerged of a child playing outside when his umbrella is struck by lightning.

The 12-year-old boy was filmed holding an umbrella under a drain as it dumped water on him during heavy rain in the city of Posadas, Argentina.

But as he skipped into the sodden garden a lightning bolt struck in a searing flash of light before the video cut out.

Mum Carolina Kotur told local media that he survived the harrowing incident.

She said: 'It was morning, I was with my daughter in the room calming her, because she is scared of lightning.

'My son was walking in the rain and I started filming because I was making a joke, and right next to him the lightning struck.

'Thank God, nothing happened to him.'

The fierce storm has devastated the region and claimed lives.

In the Paraguayan town of San Pedro del Parana, 68 miles from the unnamed Argentine boy's lucky escape, two brothers were not so fortunate during a lightning strike, The Sun reports.

Sinforiano Venialgo Vazquez and Simon Venialgo Vazquez, 43 and 41 respectively, were fatally electrocuted when lightning struck near their home.

Animals were also killed by lightning in the Santa Rosa area, on the Argentine side of the Parana River.

The boy was playing under a drain which dumped a heavy stream of water on top of his umbrella, which shielded him from the deluge

But as he ran back through the water-logged lawn, umbrella above his head, lightning struck in the area

Flash of light: The garden was suddenly flushed in a bright, white light as the lightning struck