PHNOM PENH, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Lightning strikes killed 68 people in Cambodia in 2024, down 19 percent from 84 deaths a year earlier, a disaster control spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Besides the fatalities, thunderbolts injured 55 others last year, said Soth Kim Kolmony, spokesperson for the National Committee for Disaster Management (NCDM).
"To avoid the dangers of lightning strikes, people, especially those living in rural areas, should stay in houses or shelters when there is storm or rain," Kolmony told Xinhua.
Lightning strikes often occur during the rainy season from May to October in the Southeast Asian country.
In addition to the casualties from lightning strikes, fires had also killed 20 people, as storms had claimed seven lives in 2024, according to the spokesperson. ■
