One man in Ratanakkiri province and a teenage boy in Svay Rieng province were killed on Sunday in lightning strikes, police said yesterday.

Meas Try, Kampong Ro district deputy police chief in charge of inspection, identified one of the victims as Pov Sam Ol, 55, from Trapeing Smach village in Svay Rieng’s Kampong Ro district.

The man was struck by lightning, which left him with burns under his armpits and bruises on his neck, while riding on his motorbike through the middle of a rice field in Russey Am village in the same district, Try said.

“I concluded that he was struck by lightning,” he said. “The rain was not really strong, but there was much lightning and thunder.”

In Banlung town, 15-year-old Chey Chumnas village native Khem Virak was also struck and killed by lightning.

Keo Vy, spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management, urged caution.

During the first four months of this year, at least nine people were killed and 14 others were injured by lightning, he said.