BACOLOD CITY — Two farm workers died after they were hit by lightning in separate incidents in southern Negros Occidental this week, reports from the provincial police said.
The latest incident on Friday afternoon claimed the life of Alger Nicoyco, 35, and injured his companion, only known as Jimboy. Both were sugarcane workers in Purok 7, Barangay Quiwi in Hinigaran town.
The police report said the two were inside a nipa hut seeking shelter from the rain when lightning struck at about 5 p.m.
Nicoyco died immediately, and his death was confirmed by the attending physician of the Hinigaran Emergency Clinic.
The injured was brought to a hospital in Bacolod.
The other fatality was identified as Reynaldo Alanza, 33, who was working in a rice field in Purok Malipayon, Barangay Ma-ao in Bago City when lightning struck at about 3 p.m. last Monday, police also reported.
It was the second lightning incident in Bago City in a week.
On May 22, 11 persons, including eight minors, were injured by lightning in Purok Pandan, also in Barangay Ma-ao.
The lightning hit an area near a chapel, where the victims were attending Flores de Mayo lectures.
Following the incidents, the Bago City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, through its Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Program, debriefed more than 40 residents of Barangay Ma-ao on Thursday.
Local disaster risk reduction and management officer, Merijene Ortizo, said the residents, who were directly and indirectly affected by the lightning incidents, experienced trauma.
She said the team conducted psychological first aid for children and psychosocial processing for adults.
Ortiz said that during the debriefing, they separated those who were treated in a hospital from those who were not injured.
“Generally, they are now okay,” she added.
Aside from receiving medical care, the affected residents were also provided financial assistance, Ortizo said.
Last May 25, four sugarcane workers were also killed while four others were injured when a lightning struck Hacienda Carmenchica in Barangay Don Salvador Benedicto in Pontevedra town, situated right next to Hinigaran.
The lightning struck at about 3:30 p.m. while the eight victims were inside a nipa hut in the middle of a sugarcane plantation, where they sought shelter from the rain. (Nanette Guadalquiver and Erwin Nicavera/PNA)
