In the wake of two deaths from separate lightning strikes this week, the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology issued a notice yesterday warning against potentially devastating storms lasting from today until Sunday.

A father was killed and his son hospitalised in Kampong Cham province on Tuesday after lightning hit them, and authorities in Pailin’s Stung Treng commune yesterday went from house to house raising awareness about storm safety after a lightning strike killed one person and ensuing rains destroyed 21 houses.

Lightning strikes have so far this year killed at least three people and severely injured four.

For the next several days, Cambodia will be affected by low-pressure weather, causing vast thunderstorms and rains in many parts of the country, most likely in the afternoon, according to the ministry. Officials advised local authorities to strengthen education campaigns in endangered areas, said Keo Vy, chief of cabinet of the National Committee for Disaster Management.

“Storms and lightning strikes are natural disasters, so we cannot prevent them, but . . . we have gone to investigate the scenes [and] protect people by educating them”, Vy said, adding that the number of lightning strikes is up from 2013.