Lightning kills fisherman

GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR, Philippines — A fisherman died after he was struck by lightning while fishing in the seas off this town early morning yesterday.

Chief Insp. Randy Nicart Jongco, Guiuan Police chief, identified the victim as Roque Pagatpatan, 45, of Barangay Sapao in this town.

Felipe Padual, Guiuan’s disaster risk reduction and management officer, said some fishermen reported to the police that at around 2:30 a.m., they noticed a stationary fishing boat near an area called Sungi near Barangay Sulangan.

When the fishermen went nearer the fishing boat, they saw a man lying face down and holding a net inside the boat.

Responding barangay officials of Sulangan towed the boat towards the shore and, upon inspection, they noticed black marks on the body of the fisherman, who was later identified as Pagatpatan. “He was identified by his relatives and some barangay officials of Sapao,” Padual said.

Pagatpatan was believed to have been hit by lightning at the height of heavy rain Tuesday evening until early morning the following day, Padual added. —(FREEMAN)