A witness points to where two victims were struck by lightning on Thursday afternoon of May 25 at Sitio Kiko Rosa construction site in Bgy. San Francisco, Gen. Trias City, Cavite. Photo by DENNIS ABRINA
Lightning strikes kill 2; 3 injured in Cavite
GENERAL TRIAS CITY, Cavite – Two minors, a 10-year-old student and 16 year old, were reported dead after they were struck by lightning during heavy rain Thursday, May 25, 2023, in Barangay Pasong Camachile 2 and San Francisco here.
Three were also injured in separate areas due to lightning strikes.
The police identified the deceased as Xian Agripa Parangan, ten years old, a student of Pasong Camachile Elementary School, and a resident of Bgy. Pasong Camachile 2 Gen. Trias, and Edison Hachero, 16 years old, resident of Bgy. Santiago.
Injured and currently being observed at the hospital are three other victims identified as John Carlo Mira, 9; Vince Angelo Angcaya, 10; both of Bgy. Pasong Camachile 2, and Jovic Gubat, adult, of Bgy. Santiago, who suffered an injury to his thigh.
In the report gathered from P/Col. Jose O. Naparato Jr., police chief of this city, the first incident occurred around 4 p.m. in Sitio Kiko Rosa, Bgy. San Francisco during a heavy rain or thunderstorm.
Based on the initial report, the two victims (Hachero and Gubat) were just standing in the middle of the road where they were working, not far from their barracks, and waiting for the rain to stop when suddenly strong lightning struck them directly around 4 p.m.
Both of them were rushed to Gen. Trias Medicare Hospital, but the 16-year-old victim was declared dead on arrival while Gubat is currently being observed at the hospital.
At around 5 p.m. in Brgy Pasong Camachile 2, three minor victims (Parangan, Mira, and Angcaya) were allegedly flying a kite in the open field of the area when suddenly it was said to be pouring heavy rain, so they decided to take shelter under a big tree that was later hit by lightning.
They were immediately rushed to the hospital, but Parangan was declared dead on arrival.
His two companions were wounded and later transferred to Philippine General Hospital in Manila for further observation.
According to the mother of Parangan, “Sinabihan ko na s’ya na pumirme na sa bahay at maulan, lumabas pa talaga siya para magpalipad ng saranggola, kasama ang kanyang mga kaibigan na laging kasama.”
The local government here, under Mayor Luis Ferrer IV, immediately acted on the needs of the victims.
