Picking Chili In The Rice Fields, 2 Tarutung Residents Killed By Lightning

MEDAN - Two residents of Tarutung, North Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra were killed by lightning while picking chilies in a rice field.

The two victims who died were Jekson Pasaribu (36), a resident of Huta Bagasan, Hutatoruan Village, Tarutung, and Edison Parulian Mendrofa (39), a resident of Sutan Sumurung Steet, Hutatoruan I Village, Tarutung, North Tapanuli. When found, the condition of the bodies of the two victims was pathetic.

Head of the Public Relations Subdivision of the North Tapanuli Police, Aiptu Walpon Barimbing, explained that the two victims left home to pick EPM's chilies for the rice fields, around 13.00 WIB, Monday, August 9.

"Around 15.00 WIB, suddenly heavy rain. Then the two victims rested in a small hut with a plastic roof in a rice field area. At around 15.30 WIB, lightning struck the hut and both victims were hit so they were thrown and died on the spot", said Walpon in his statement, Tuesday, August 10.

Walpon said the incident was first known by a witness named Timour Hutauruk. At that time, the witness suspected that his son had taken too long to return from the rice fields so he went to the fields.

After arriving at the location, the witness saw that the two victims were dead and screamed hysterically, and asked for help.

"When police officers arrived at the scene, the bodies of the two victims looked like they were on fire. Then the victim was given a post-mortem and then the victim's body was handed over to the family", he explained.