Three people, one of them a 16-year-old, were killed in a suspected lightning strike while sheltering under a tree during heavy rain in Bandar Baru Salak Tinggi, Sepang, on Monday afternoon (Nov 9).
Sepang district police chief Assistant Commissioner Norhizam Bahaman confirmed the deaths in a statement. He said the victims, aged 16, 18 and 26, were believed to have been struck by lightning after taking cover under the tree, and that they had sought shelter after repairing a vehicle nearby.
The tree stood in a public field near a secondary school in the town, and the car the three were travelling in had reportedly broken down. Videos said to show the three after they were struck during the downpour were shared widely on social media earlier in the day.
The bodies were taken to Hospital Sultan Idris Shah in Serdang for post-mortem examinations.
The Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) has warned the public against sheltering under trees during thunderstorms. In August, its director-general Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said tall and isolated trees are more likely to be struck, and that lightning current can travel through the trunk, roots and ground to people nearby.
He said open spaces such as football fields also leave people exposed, and advised the public to stop outdoor activities once a storm approaches or thunder can be heard, and to take shelter inside a sturdy building or an enclosed vehicle. Gazebos, rest huts and bus stops without enclosed walls do not give adequate protection, he added.
The deaths came as the northeast monsoon sets in. MetMalaysia has issued severe rain warnings for Kelantan and Terengganu until Wednesday.