Lightning kills 80 Cambodians in 2017, down 26 pct

PHNOM PENH, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) — Eighty Cambodians, mostly rural residents, were killed by lightning strikes in 2017, down 26 percent from the 108 deaths in 2016, a disaster control spokesman said on Monday.

Besides the fatalities, thunderbolts also injured 63 others this year, down 40 percent from the 105 injuries last year, said Keo Vy, the spokesman for the National Committee for Disaster Management.

He said although the fatal numbers from lightning strikes had declined, lightning was still the leading cause of deaths among fatalities from natural disasters.

“The weather this year was much better than that of last year,” he told Xinhua.

Lightning happens often during the rainy season from May to October in Cambodia, the spokesman said, adding that to avoid the dangers of lightning strikes, people should stay inside their houses when there is rain.

According to Keo Vy, in addition to lightning casualties, storms and flooding had claimed 23 lives and injured 55 others in 2017.

SOURCE http://en.brinkwire.com/47707/lightning-kills-80-cambodians-in-2017-down-26-pct/