Two people were killed by lightning strikes in separate incidents on Monday in Pursat and Kandal provinces, officials said yesterday, bringing the death toll this so far this year to 70.

The deceased were a boy and a farmer, both of whom were driving near their rice fields.

Keo Vy, cabinet director of the National Disaster Management Committee, said that the dead were Han Kimhong, a 14-year-old farmer killed while driving a motorbike from his family’s field in Kandal’s Chhaving commune, and Thorn Tak, 24, who was driving his tractor through his fields in Kravainh district’s Tra Ngel commune.

“Lightning is causing the farmers in the remote areas concern and making them scared of leaving home to monitor their farms at night and when there are storms,” he said.

He added that, since January, lightning has killed 70 people and seriously injured 50 farmers.