Lightning kills shepherd, 19 buffaloes

Lightning has killed a shepherd and 19 buffaloes in Indonesia’s North Sumatra province, local media reported on Wednesday.

Police said Sinto Habeyan, 23, was lighting a bonfire in a cattle barn in the Central Tapanuli district late Monday when lightning struck amid heavy rain, the Kompas daily reported.

Habeyan and the 19 buffaloes died immediately, district police chief Sukamat said.

“We never had an incident like this before in this area,” he said.