By CESAR JOLITO III

A 52-year-old farmer lost his life after he was struck by lightning while heading home from his sugarcane farm during heavy rainfall in Negros Occidental’s Himamaylan City.

Police identified the victim only by the alias “Lito,” a married farmer and resident of Barangay Mahalang.

Himamaylan police said “Lito” had gone to his farm to plant sugarcane at about 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9.

As weather conditions worsened, he decided to return home but was accidentally struck by lightning.

A concerned neighbor immediately rushed the victim to Kabankalan District Hospital for medical treatment. However, the attending physician declared him dead on arrival.

Authorities said the fatality was caused by a natural occurrence due to adverse weather conditions, adding that investigators found no signs of foul play.

Police reminded the public, particularly farmers and outdoor workers, to seek shelter immediately during thunderstorms and avoid staying in open areas to reduce the risk of lightning-related incidents./CCJ, WDJ