Manila - Five farmers were killed by lightning in the central Philippines, a local police chief said Saturday. Eight other people were hurt in the accident Friday in Mabinay town in Negros Oriental province, 570 kilometres south of Manila, according to Chief Inspector Edilberto Deocadis.
Deocadis said the victims were harvesting rice in a field when a heavy storm forced them to take shelter in a nearby thatched hut.
He said lightning struck the paddy and the victims were electrocuted, probably because they were wet from the rain.
Deocadis said the structure was not burned but all the victims suffered severe burns.
