2 of the roller coasters I mess around with had a "nearby" lightening strike.
On one, it was close enough to a hockey puck style proximity sensor. The surge back fed thru to the control system taking out all the DC input modules, DC power supply and all the other sensors on the ride.
On the other one, the surge came in thru one of the motors. It back fed thru the 3 phase system and took out 11 VFD's and some other gadgets.
Pretty expensive!
When considering lightening protection, think about all the stuff you have outside. A nearby ground strike can, and will, back feed to your breaker panel and house wiring, taking stuff out. Main's protection won't be of much help in this situation. Cover everything in and out.
Some utilities utilize capacitor type switching devices. These can also produce some nasty surges. Also, when the power goes out and comes back on, this can be a pretty decent surge.
