Lightning kills 91 Cambodians in 8 months, down 37 pct

Xinhua | 2012-9-25
By Agencies

Lightning strikes had killed 91 Cambodian people in the first eight months of this year, down 37 percent compared with 146 deaths at the same period last year, a senior disaster official said Tuesday.

Keo Vy, chief of the Cabinet of the National Committee for Disaster Management, said that 19 out of the dead persons were female and most of them lived in rural areas.

In addition, the lighting strikes had injured 69 others and killed 32 heads of cattle, he said.

The decrease in death toll this year is thanks to the government's efforts in educating people about how to keep themselves safe from lightning strikes, he said.

"Also, rural people themselves are very careful and stay in their houses when there are heavy rains and lightning," he said.

Lightning happens every year in Cambodia, especially in rainy season, which begins from May through October.

In 2011, lightning strikes killed 165 people and injured 139 others.