Lightning leaves 1 dead, 3 wounded in Albay fluvial procession

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LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines—Lighting struck a group of people about to hold a fluvial procession in the village of Cawayan on the island of Bacacay in Albay, killing one person and critically wounding three others.

The villagers were about to start the fluvial procession to celebrate the feast of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion (Our Lady of Salvation) when lightning struck the shoreline around 12:30 p.m., Senior Superintedent Marlo Meneses, provincial police director of Albay, said in a text message.

The fatality was identified as Jerry Ecuenca, 30, of Barangay Bilbao, Rapu-Rapu, Albay. He was hit by lightning as he was about to start the engine of his motorized banca.

Injured were  Gina Barquilla, 25, Reynante Basaca, 10, and Domingo Barde, 50, all of Barangay Cagbulacao on Bacacay.

The victims were on separate boats and about to depart from Cawayan port when lightning struck.

All the victims were rushed to Dr. Armando D. Cope Memorial Hospital in Tabaco City. The wounded were later transferred to the Bicol Regional Training and Teaching Hospital in Daraga, Albay.

The Feast of Nuestra Señora de Salvacion was being celebrated through a maritime procession participated in by thousands of devotees from the municipalities of Bacacay, Malilipot and Rapu-Rapu, said Meneses.