A 34-year-old man was killed by lightning yesterday while attempting to construct a waterway under his house during a morning storm, local police said.

Nhor Nhen, 34, was the sole fatality in Kampong Cham province’s Batheay district, but 10 people were seriously injured and 500 houses damaged when heavy rains hit around 8:30am, according to Rom Rattanak, district deputy police chief.

“Government delegations are offering gifts to the 500 families who are victims of the storm,” Rattanak confirmed.

The storm passed through Sambor Meas commune in Kampong Cham town at 4:30am yesterday where lighting struck the food hall of Wat Thmey pagoda, causing many statues to fall from the roof onto the nearby police station, which, “added more damage”, according to Lon Lemthai, Kampong Cham provincial governor.

Thirteen houses were also damaged in two villages located in Banteay Meanchey province, and eight houses collapsed in Kampot province on Saturday night, according to provincial authorities, but no one was harmed there.