Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Lightning warning issued as rainy season draws near

Lightning warning issued as rainy season draws near

Content image - Phnom Penh Post
A man was killed by lightning at Chhouk district in Kampot province in April. FACEBOOK

Lightning warning issued as rainy season draws near

From the beginning of January to mid-May, lightning strikes left at least 13 people dead and nine others injured and killed a total of 25 cattle, according to official data seen by The Post.

Most of the victims were reported to have been ploughing fields, herding cattle, playing with their phones, or travelling by bicycle or motorbike during a thunder storm.

The latest case took place on May 10 when a lightning strike occurred in Talou commune’s Tuol Toteung village of Pursat province’s Talou Sen Chey district, killing a man and a woman, according to district police chief Ul Hay.

He said that prior to the lightning strike, 37-year-old man Eng Ly and 55-year-old Chhorn Chan, deputy chief of the village, were looking for a tractor driver to plough their fields.

“They were struck by lightning while sheltering from the rain under a tree close to their field,” he said.

On May 1, 34-year-old Ros Rong, a resident of Bankam commune’s Sethy Village of Takeo province’s Prey Kabbas district, was struck by lightning while spraying fertiliser in light rain, according to district police chief Chum Chhoeun.

He said his officers had worked with meteorologists to educate local people in ways to protect themselves from lightning.

“We have told people not to herd cattle or work in the fields when it is raining, and not to shelter under tall trees or use electronic devices, as these increase the risk of being struck,” he said.

Ly Sovann, a spokesman for the Ministry of Health, said people should follow the advice of experts.

He gave instructions on how to provide first aid to a victim of a lightning.

“If a victim is not breathing, we should perform CPR. Blankets should be used to keep the vitim warm, and we should be careful moving them, as they may have broken bones or internal bleeding,” he said.

According to forecasts by the Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology, at the beginning of this rainy season, there will be heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms, which may affect the daily lives of people living in areas vulnerable to lightning strikes, such as mountains, plateaus and lowlands.

MOST VIEWED

  • 12th Cambodia int’l film festival to see return of Hollywood star

    Phnom Penh is set to come alive with the magic of cinema as the highly anticipated 12th Cambodia International Film Festival (CIFF) takes centre stage. Boasting an impressive line-up of 188 films from 23 countries, including captivating shorts, feature films, documentaries and animation, the festival promises an

  • Brawl marrs football final as Indonesian take gold in seven goal thriller

    The Indonesian men's U22 men national football team were crowned champions of the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia, defeating Thailand 5-2 in extra time on May 16 at Olympic National Stadium in Phnom Penh. The match was marred by an ugly incident that occured in the 91

  • Candlelight Party disqualified from July general election

    The National Election Committee (NEC) has disqualified the Candlelight Party (CP) from contesting the upcoming general election, citing a lack of valid documentation. NEC spokesman Khorn Keomono said the CP failed to fulfil one of the three main requirements: including original documentation proving their registration

  • Thong Khon calls for orderly SEA Games closing ceremony

    Thong Khon, Minister of Tourism and permanent vice-president of the Cambodia SEA Games Organising Committee (CAMSOC), calls on all people who have received tickets to the May 17 closing ceremony of the biennial multi-sports extravaganza at the Morodok Techo National Stadium to ensure that the event

  • Bareknuckle champion wants Kun Khmer fighter

    Dave Leduc, who is the current openweight Lethwei boxing champion in Myanmar, has announced that he will travel to Cambodia this year to challenge SEA Games gold medallist Prum Samnang any time that is convenient, after their planned match later this month in Slovakia was

  • 1.4 billion dollar Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway due in four years

    The Government, through the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, has officially signed a public-private partnership agreement with a private company for the construction of a Phnom Penh-Bavet Expressway project that will connect the capital to Svay Rieng province. The budget for the project is