Thursday, August 5, 2010

Cambodia reports 88 lightning deathes

PHNOM PENH, Aug 05, 2010 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Cambodian government said Thursday that 88 people, mostly in rural areas -- have died of lightning strikes.

Keo Vy, communication officer of National Committee of Disaster Management said that by the end of July, there were 88 people have died in lightning strikes.

However, he said, the figure is still less than that in the same period last year as 110 died of lightning incidents.

Keo Vy noted that Pursat province, located about 200 kilometers north of Phnom Penh was recorded with more victims than the other 23 provinces and cities throughout the country.

He said last year more than 20 victims reported from Pursat province alone.

By mid June this year, Cambodia recorded only 48 deaths by lightning.

For several occasions, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen has alerted and made an appeal to public to take more precaution, saying the lightning seemed fiercer in recent years.

Lightning which occurs every year in Cambodia, normally starts in rainy season which begins from May through October.


The report file by the National Committee of Disaster Management showed that the total figure of deaths last year was recorded at 140 and 95 deaths were recorded in 2008.

Most of the victims were living in rural areas.

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