CEBU, Philippines - Three persons died after being struck by a lightning bolt during a thunderstorm at San Jose de Buenavista, the capital town of Antique province, on Tuesday afternoon.
The victims were identified as J.V. Alulon, 19, of San Jose town; and Orlando Mirasol Sr., 49, and his son, 29-year-old Orlando Jr., both of Barangay Bungsod of Valderama town.
Alulon was at the shore in Magkalon village of San Jose town, when hit by the lightning. He suffered wounds all over his body and was rushed to the Angel Salazar Memorial General Hospital where he was, however, declared dead on arrival.
On the other hand, reports said that the Mirasols – Orlando Sr. and his two children – were on a banca crossing a river when the incident happened. While the two did not survive, Mirasol’s daughter was physically unscathed.
Meanwhile, reports from Aklan said another man was also a victim of lightning bolt. While he escaped death, Michael de Manuel, 27, a construction worker, suffered a “major†injury. His genitals were allegedly severely burnt because of what happened.
De Manuel was inside his house, which was made of light materials, when a lightning struck an electrical post following yesterday’s sudden rainshower.
Witnesses said they just saw the victim fell down and laid unconscious with burns on the crouch of his shorts and underwear. They believed that the victim’s bracelet could have caught the lightning bolt.