Three people were killed by thunderstorms in Kratie province on May 23 and Tbong Khmum province on May 21, according to police officials.

One person died while fishing in Kratie province and two others died while ploughing paddy fields to grow their rainy season rice crop in Tbong Khmum province.

Un Hoiy, Sambok commune police chief, told The Post on May 24 that 35-year-old Tiv Teang, a resident of Sambok commune’s Kampi village in Kratie province’s Chetr Borei district, was struck by lightning on the evening of May 23 while he was fishing in the Mekong River during the storm.

"According to relatives, the victim was struck by lightning in the middle of his chest. He fell down, hit his head on the boat and died instantly," he said.

Separately in Tbong Khmum province’s Memot district, local authorities said two men were killed by lightning in the middle of a paddy field while ploughing the land during a rainstorm on the afternoon of May 21.

District police chief Hong Kim Hoeun identified the victims as El Theara, 31, and Veng Seang Heng, 20, both lived in Kokir commune’s Koki Cheung village.

"The victims were brothers-in-law. When it was raining, they were ploughing the fields with a walking tractor and trying to race each other," he said.

Tun Ros, the father-in-law of the duo, said that after ploughing the fields they turned off the engine and were sitting near each other when lightning struck, killing them instantly.

"They were both my good son-in-laws. They have never left their wives, children or parents in distress. They should not have had the misfortune to die this way," he said.

These three fatalities bring the toll from lightning strikes this year to 25. Another nine people have been injured and 21 cattle have also died, according to the figures from the National Committee for Disaster Management and seen by The Post on May 24.