Five people were struck by lightning as a storm passed through southern Ontario, officials say.

According to the Ontario Provincial Police, lightning struck three adults, two children and a dog at a property on Main Street in Courtland, east of Tillsonburg, Monday afternoon. The group had been standing under large maple trees during the storm.

All five people were taken to hospital, where their injuries were found to be minor.

Radar images showed a powerful thunderstorm moving west-to-east through Norfolk County during the 4 p.m. hour.

Police say lightning typically kills between six and 10 Canadians per year, and parents should not let their children "play outside in the warm rain during an electrical storm."