Lightning kills four and wounds three in Binjai
Lightning kills four and wounds three in Binjai
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Sumatra
Four farmers were killed and three others injured when lightning
struck their village of Limau Mukur in West Binjai subdistrict,
Binjai regency, North Sumatra, residents and officials said on
Thursday.
Also, a seven-year-old girl reportedly drowned in floodwaters
triggered by heavy rain in Binjai, some 20 kilometers from the
provincial capital Medan.
The lighting struck the seven victims at about 7 p.m. on
Wednesday as they were leaving their fields, eyewitnesses said.
The farmers had taken shelter in a small hut to escape a
rainstorm.
Minutes later lightning hit the hut, throwing the victims
several meters from the site of the impact.
Arma Budi, who witnessed the incident, said one of the victims
cried for help from residents who rushed to the scene.
"Four of the victims died at the scene from their injuries and
we brought their bodies to their respective houses. We took the
other three to Djoelham Binjai Hospital for treatment," he said.
The four deceased were identified as Supandi, 50, his wife
Sutina, 48, Sumiyem, 55, and Ratna, 40. The three injured were
identified as Susilawati, 24, Suprapto, 40, and Kurningsih, 13.
Susilawati, who suffered only a minor leg injury, was
discharged from the hospital on Thursday evening.
Kurningsih and Suprapti are still being treated for serious
injuries, said Rohani, a nurse in the hospital's emergency unit.
"Kurningsih is suffering ear trouble and her heart continues
to beat rapidly, while Suprapto sustained chest and head
injuries," she told The Jakarta Post.
West Binjai subdistrict head Hamdani said the local government
would provide assistance to the families of the seven victims.
Meanwhile, the body of seven-year-old Adinda Vionika was found
in the Bingei River on Wednesday night. She reportedly drowned in
floodwaters in the area of Tangsi, Binjai.
The flooding was triggered by heavy rain across North Sumatra.
Also, at least nine houses, a school building and plots of
farmland in Sidodadi village, Beringin subdistrict, Deliserdang
regency, were damaged by strong winds.
No injuries or casualties were reported, however.
The Medan Meteorology and Geophysics Agency warned local
residents of the possibility of more flooding this month, saying
rainfall levels in September would be above normal.