A Climber Of Mount Cikuray Killed By Lightning, Family Rejects Autopsy

Officers evacuated climbers who were killed by lightning at Mount Cikuray, Garut Regency, Saturday (24/2/2024). (ANTARA/HO-Polres Garut)

The joint SAR team evacuated a climber who was killed by lightning on Mount Cikuray, Garut Regency, West Java (West Java).

Head of the Emergency and Logistics Division of the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) of Garut Regency, Daris Hilman, said the evacuation was carried out at a hospital in Garut.

"Survivors have been taken to the Dr. Slamet Hospital Hospital," said when contacted via cell phone in Garut, Sunday, February 25, as reported by Antara.

Daris explained that the incident happened to Akbar (22), a man from Kaum Village, North Thief, Lebak Regency, Banten, who died after being struck by lightning on Mount Cikuray.

Daris said, before the incident the victim and five of his colleagues climbed to the top of Mount Cikuray, Saturday, February 24, at around 14.30 WIB. Then it rained and they took shelter under trees, then put up tarpaulins to take shelter.

"Survivor and five of his colleagues were taking shelter under a tree and were about to install a fly sheet, when they were about to install a fly sheet, a lightning strike into the survivors and two colleagues nearby bounced," said Daris.

With this information, said Daris, joint officers immediately moved to provide assistance to victims who were killed by lightning to be evacuated down the mountain.

At around 21.00 WIB, officers managed to evacuate the victim to be taken to the hospital, while five other friends stayed at a local resident's house.

"Survivors were successfully evacuated through the transmitter post at 21.17 WIB," he said.

The head of the Cilawu Police, M Duhri, said that the victim had been identified and has now been taken to the hospital with burns to his stomach and chest.

He said the victim was then handed over to his family for burial and the family refused an autopsy.

With this incident, the police chief appealed to the public, especially climbers, not to take shelter under trees when it rained heavily because it was at risk of being struck by lightning.

"We appeal to climbers and all residents of the community if it rains so they don't take shelter under trees, because they are at risk of being hit by lightning strikes," he said.

In this evacuation, the joint SAR team consisted of BPBD, a communication forum for sub-district leaders, Taruna Siaga Disaster (Tagana), the police, TNI, and local community volunteers, who together evacuated victims at Mount Cikuray on Saturday, February 24 evening.