Lightning strike kills farmer in Myebon Twsp

By Admin 13 Oct 2024

DMG Newsroom
13 October 2024, Myebon

A local farmer was struck dead by a lightning strike in Chaunggyiyat Village, part of Arakan State's Myebon Township, on Friday evening.

U Aung Tin, 66, was killed while preparing to plough his farmland near the village at around 5:30 p.m. on October 11.

"He was struck dead by lightning while preparing to plough his farmland near the village. A cow was also killed by the lightning strike," said a villager.

There was rain and lightning near Chaunggyiyat Village on October 11, according to local residents.

The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) reported that during the second week of October in Arakan State, strong winds, thunder and lightning may occur along with the rain.

A local resident of Nyaungchaung Village in Kyauktaw Township was struck dead by lightning while returning home after collecting bamboo shoots on October 9.

Meteorologists and residents say sudden, untimely rains and the onset of increasingly violent storms including dangerous lightning strikes are manifestations of climate change, and are happening in Arakan State.

"The weather is not normal. If the sun is hot, it is very hot. Even when the sun is hot, there are instant rain showers and lightning and then thunder," said a resident of Kyauktaw.

Thunderstorms are common during the early and late monsoons, and lightning strikes are caused by high temperatures and particular cloud formations, the DMH said.

In order to mitigate the risk of being struck by lightning, those caught out in a storm should take shelter in a strong building as soon as you hear the sound of thunder or see lightning. If there are no safe shelters in sight, experts advise crouching down in a ball-like position, putting your feet together, squatting low, tucking your head, and covering your ears.

Showering, washing clothes, and washing dishes are not advised during a lightning storm, even while indoors, nor is the use of landline telephones, computers, TVs, or other electrical appliances.