Lightning kills 6, hurts 15 in Negros

BACOLOD CITY: A woman and five minors died while 15 others working in a sugarcane farm were injured after a lightning struck them at Sitio Baras-Barasan in Barangay Manlucajoc, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental, on Wednesday afternoon.

Chief Insp. Nazer Canja, city

as Lorie Tejoc, 36; and Charlyn Semenion, 10, and her siblings--Rose Ann, 5, Arviniel, 9, Mae Ann, 10, and Mariel Montecino, 12.

Those injured were identified mostly as members of the Seminion family, including Aira, 2, Wilma Fe, 9, Erick Mark, 12, Alvin Roy,12, Romila, 13, Meah,19, and their parents George and Lolina; Alma Seminion, 42; Nelson Sipaway; Roy Balansak; Ryan Balansac; and Wilma Montecino.

Canja said the adult victims, who had brought along their children, were working in the sugarcane farm when it suddenly rained.

They took shelter under a truck that was parked beside a tree when the lightning struck at about 1:30 p.m.

“The rain lasted for about 30 minutes,” Canja said.

All the victims, most of them minors, were brought to Merceditas J. Montilla District Hospital in Sipalay City and Lorenzo D. Zayco District Hospital in Kabankalan City.

Six of them were declared dead at the hospital.

Of the 15 wounded victims, Lolina Semenion was seriously wounded and was transferred to a hospital in Bacolod City while the others sustained minor injuries.

Witnesses said over a radio interview that they heard a loud explosion and then saw the children sprawled on the ground, some of them crying for help.

The Sipalay city government committed to assist the victims’ families.