Twelve people, including two police officers, were struck by lightning in Banteay Meanchey and Oddar Meanchey provinces on Sunday afternoon, killing four people and leaving several seriously injuredThe National Committee for Disaster Management has said that since early 2018 until Sunday, 38 people have died and 27 have been injured by lightning strikes in the Kingdom.
Ath Khem, Banteay Meanchey provincial police chief, told The Post on Monday that the two injured police officers are Roeun Pally and Pav Saran from Banteay Meanchey. They have both been sent to Thmor Puok District Referral Hospital.
Khem said it rained heavily and lightning struck both the police officers while they were sitting writing a report inside a police post.
He also said that in Tbaeng Chas village, Banteay Meanchey, lightning struck five people, with two being killed and three hurt. The wounded victims were sent to Thmor Puok District Hospital.
For the five struck by the lightning, some of them were minding cattle and some were going to their rice field.
“I visited the victims in the hospital and the doctor said that they are safe, but they need to be monitored,” he said.
Khol Phil, Banteay Ampil district deputy police chief in Oddar Meanchey, said two men died and three others were injured when they were hit by lightning as they were ploughing a rice field while it was raining.
“They [the victimes] were ploughing the land and when it started raining, they took shelter under a tree where they were hit,” Phil said, confirming that the injured victims were taken to hospital while the bodies of those who were killed were returned to their families for a traditional funeral.
Keo Vy, spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management, stated that at least 38 people have been killed, 27 injured and 26 cattle have been killed, with 11 houses being damaged by lightning between early 2018 and Sunday. The provinces where lightning have resulted in deaths and injuries are Prey Veng, Pursat, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Kampong Thom, Koh Kong and Kratie.
“For this case, most of them happened in the afternoon or evening while farmers were busy ploughing, planting and minding the cattle, and these tasks prevent them from following the advice to reduce the risks from lightning,” Vy said.
