Louisiana Woman Witnesses Lightning Strike Demolish Tree, Caught on Video

A Louisiana woman's lucky to be alive after a frightening encounter with mother nature when a lightning strike obliterated a tree, sending thousands of pieces flying ... and it was all caught on video.

The incident went down in the small town of Morgan City, Louisiana -- about 86 miles west of New Orleans -- where home security footage captured the moment Sarah Ribardi came incredibly close to being struck by wood shrapnel that came flying in her direction after the tree near her home was reduced to rubble in less than a second.

Watch the video ... it's incredible the woman was able to immediately run back inside after the huge tree splintered. The video, shot Friday, shows a nanosecond of a bright flash ... and then a deafening crack.