Lightning Protection Out of Reach for Many at Risk

A July report from the National Committee for Disaster Management noted that strikes have killed at least 350 people in the last three years. (Photo: Reuters)

Suy Heimkhemra, VOA Khmer
Phnom Penh Thursday, 19 August 2010

“I know about the lighting system that is being used to protect people from lighting, but on behalf of farmers, I say I don’t have the ability to buy it.”

At his store on Kampuchea Krom Blvd. in Phnom Penh, Liu Meng seems busy with customers, as he introduces them to lightning protection measures and warns them against the dangers of strikes.

The need for protection is increasing, he tells his customers, and the dangers of lightning are growing.

It is true that Cambodia has seen an increase in deaths due to lightning. A July report from the National Committee for Disaster Management noted that strikes have killed at least 350 people in the last three years.

And there are at least five companies like Liu Meng’s that sell systems capable of drawing a lightning strike and safely grounding it.

However, such a system can cost between $950 and $2,500. That puts protection out of reach for many poor or rural Cambodians—those who are most at risk.

“I know about the lighting system that is being used to protect people from lighting, but on behalf of farmers, I say I don’t have the ability to buy it,” said farmer Um Ngoy, who lives in Kandal Sreng district, Kandal province.

The high cost of the systems mean they are generally installed for the well-off, in places like new villas.

That means people like motorcycle taxi driver Sok Sovannara, who plies the streets of Phnom Penh looking for fares, remain in danger. Lightning incidents are “terrible,” he told VOA Khmer, but without money to buy protection, he would stay at risk.

That might not have to be so, said Prach Meanith, who imports lightning protection equipment for a company in Phnom Penh. Farmers can pool their money together to protect certain areas of a village, he said.

For people like Kong Cheak, a Phnom Penh resident who recently bought a protection system, the costs are worth it. It can protect his life and the life of his family, he said.

Heng Po, a lightning protection expert, said the trend is catching on in the provinces, especially in Battambang, Kampong Cham and Preah Sihanouk.

A person who fears a lightning strike can also protect himself the old fashioned way.

Lightning generally occurs at the beginning of the rainy season, or in unexpected storms, said Keo Vy, chief of the National Committee for Disaster Management.

When such storms occur, people should stay inside and avoid any large trees at a distance of at least 4 meters, he said. Those in vehicles should stop their cars and take their hands off the steering wheel.

And for farmers caught in the fields, he said: lie down, lower than a paddy dike.

Lightning death brings toll this year to 35 in Cambodia

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Phnom Penh (ANTARA News/Xinhua-OANA) - Lightning claimed yet another victim on Thursday with the death of 48-year-old farmer Lim Khen in Kompong Thom province, local media reported on Saturday, citing local official.

According to the National Committee for Disaster Management, Khen`s death is the 35th reported lightning death so far this year as lightning in 2009 killed 140 people.

Khen was killed as he walked home from his rice field, police chief Mat Moly was quoted by the Cambodia Daily as saying. "When he saw the rain, he left his rice field, where he was seeding. But he was unlucky and was burned on his back and his neck was broken" by the lightning, Moly said.

During a separate storm, which hit Kandal province on Wednesday, a lightning strike killed five cows and strong winds and rain caused injury to 15 villagers as strong gusts destroyed 16 stilt homes and knocked the roofs off nine more in Khsach Kandal districts`s Chey Thom and Vihear Suor communes, district governor Kong Sophan was quoted as saying.

"It was lucky that the villagers weren`t under the houses," said Sophan. "If they were inside, they probably would have died."

Lightning strike kills three Cambodian fishermen

May 7, 2010
DPA

Phnom Penh - Three Cambodian brothers died when their fishing boat was hit by lightning off the southern coastal town of Kampot, national media reported Friday.

Commune police chief Kouch Chansuy told the Cambodia Daily newspaper that the body of Mao Morn, 24, was found in the fishing boat after it was hit by lightning early Wednesday.

The body of the eldest brother was found floating in the sea, while the third brother is missing believed dead, the police chief said.

'Police assume that metal tools and a radio antenna attracted the lightning,' he said. A fourth man also died this week when he was hit by lightning while using his mobile phone in his hut in central Kampong Chhnang province, raising the death toll from lightning to 19 since March 1.

In a separate incident a single lightning bolt killed 18 cattle in central Cambodia on Tuesday, while another killed seven more cattle in the same district, officials in Kampong Thom province said.

Cambodia is nearing the end of the annual hot season, when storms accompanied by lightning strikes become more common.

Figures from the government's disaster management committee showed that 140 people were killed by lightning last year, up from 95 people in 2008.

Lightning strikes kill 93 in Cambodia this year

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

PHNOM PENH (Xinhua): Lightning strikes have killed 93 people in Cambodia at the end of May this year, local media reported on Tuesday.

According to a report of the Cambodia Daily, Ly Thuch, second vice president of the National Committee for disaster Management, said the death toll so far has amounted to the total number of last year. He said the actual death toll of this year was likely higher than the official tally.

With nearly six months of rainy season still ahead, this year promises to be far more deadly for lightning strikes.

Last week alone, at least five people were struck dead throughout the country. Kem Gunawadh, director general of state broadcaster TVK (TV of Kampuchea), said his station had begun airing messages in the evening, warning the public not to shelter under trees and to avoid metal objects during inclement weather.

Death Lord comes down hard on Cambodia

06 May 2009
By Nhim Sophal
Cambodge Soir Hebdo
Translated from French by Luc Sâr
Click here to read the article in French

Fifty people died in the kingdom since the beginning of the year, after they were struck by lightning.

On Wednesday 06 May, Set Vannareth, director of the meteorological department of the ministry of Water Resources, revealed a grim statistics: “Since the beginning of the year, 50 people died after being struck by lightning.” According to Set Vannareth, April and at the beginning of May were deadly. However, the high number of fatalities is normal in the kingdoom. In 2008, 95 Cambodians died from lightning. “May is generally the month with the largest number of storms,” she said in spite of the fact that the authorities’ attempt to prevent this type of accident. A pamphlet was distributed to government officials involved at the meteorological department on the best mean to protect oneself from lightning, and these officials are in charge of alerting the public. However, [given the large number of fatalities,] it is obvious that the pamphlets are not bearing any result. Nevertheless, the authorities still continue to reiterate their warning advises.

Among the old folks, superstition is still rampant: some of them said that Reksa Devy, the angel of the year of the Ox, is very mean and she likes to drink blood. According to these old folks, the angel created these storms, as well as road accidents in some regions in the country, to quench her thirst.