YANGON: A couple, who were the caretakers of a cable car at a mountain resort in Kayin state, were found dead after they were allegedly struck by lightning.
According to reports in the Myanmar Times, rescuer U Yu Waing said the couple were found dead outside the cable car depot in Mount Zwekabin in Hpa-an township.
He said the woman was five months' pregnant and was found with blisters on her hands.
The victims were discovered by workers from the cable car depot. They were found several metres apart.
Monks and workers who live on the mountain said there was a thunderstorm on the night of the incident.
The Times said lightning strikes were common in Myanmar during the monsoon and were considered as dangerous as floods and landslides.
According to the Disaster Management Department, lightning strikes killed 62 people and injured 26 in Myanmar between January and May this year.
The most number of casualties were reported in Ayeyarwady region, with 16 deaths and four injuries.
The department said most of the victims were farmers who were struck while out in the fields, or fishing in rivers or creeks.
Others were struck while walking along waterways, listening to the radio, using a smartphone or talking on a phone.
Authorities urged people to remain indoors during thunderstorms and to switch off electrical appliances, such as televisions and mobile phones.
In 2019, 133 people died and 52 were injured by lightning strikes in Myanmar.