Lightning kills woman, 57

BAIS CITY, NEGROS ORIENTAL, Philippines —A 57-year-old woman was killed after being hit by lightning during the torrential rains that poured in this city Friday afternoon.

Cerelina Lanojan, a resident of Barangay Talungon of this city, was walking with her husband Policarpio, 57, when lightning suddenly struck her, City Police said.

The victim succumbed to multiple burns on parts of her body and was declared dead on arrival, police records showed.

Neptune Catarata, officer-in-charge of the PAGASA-Dumaguete, cautioned the public to do necessary precautions in order to avoid being hit by lightning. “The best thing everyone can do to lessen chances of being hit by lightning is to turn cellphones during a thunderstorm, as these can attract electricity,” he told The Freeman yesterday.

He also urged residents to turn off circuit breakers and unplug their appliances in the middle of a thunderstorm. “If you’re outside, you should seek shelter and do not stay under high trees as they can get hit by lightning and break down,” Catarata said.

Catarata further said the rains over the weekend were heavy, as they amounted to 50.3 millimeters of water.

“Cumulonimbus clouds, like the ones that poured rain over the weekend, are pretty dangerous clouds because aside from forming thunder and lightning, these clouds also cause hail,” he added. (FREEMAN)