Lollapalooza opening night cut short by thunderstorm

A THUNDERSTORM prompted organisers to cut short the first night of the Lollapalooza music festival late on Thursday, as authorities in Chicago evacuated thousands of concertgoers.

Lightning and pouring rain forced the singer Lorde (pictured right) and rock band Muse to prematurely end their performances, as attendees ran for cover in the expansive Chicago park where the concert took place.

“Very sad Chicago City & police evacuated Grant Park early on in our show tonight due to lightning strikes nearby,” Muse wrote on Instagram. “Thanks to all those that were rocking in the storm. Amazing fans as always.”

Lorde said on Twitter that she was considering a club show as a substitute.

“Will keep you posted,” she wrote, also posting a photo of herself, her clothing soaked.

The famous music event held in Chicago was also evacuated in 2015 due to similar weather conditions.

Police have designated underground shelters near the downtown venue, where concertgoers are sent during summer storms.

Hundreds of thousands of people from around the world are expected to attend the four-day festival, where major musical acts including Arcade Fire and Chance The Rapper are still scheduled to perform.

Rainy weather and possible thunderstorms are forecast for the weekend. — AFP