Asia-Pacific

Lightning deaths halved annually in Cambodia

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-05 11:49

PHNOM PENH - Lightning killed 15 people from March 1 through May 1, down by half compared to the same period last year, local media reported on Wednesday, citing a government official.

Keo Vy, deputy director of the department of information and relations at the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM), said the number of deaths rose to 15 when a man in Battambang province was killed by a lightning strike Saturday.

Keo Vy said lightning during March and April last year killed 30 people.

"This year the number of people killed by lightning reduced compared to last year because the occationl rains are less than last year," he was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying, adding that officials were still concerned that lightning had become more frequent and dangerous in recent years.

The NCDM has reported that 140 people were killed in 2009 and 95 in 2008 by lightning.

Prime Minister Hun Sen in early April warned the public to take measures to prevent being struck by lightning now that the wet season has started.

Keo Vy said that in addition to the lightning deaths, 30 storms had wreaked havoc during the first four months of the year, destroying 228 houses, killing two people and injuring 12 others, while another 967 houses, 12 schools and one health center had been damaged by the storms.