A 29-year-old woman died instantly after being struck by lightning on Saturday afternoon at the Saint Vincent grounds near Natovi Jetty, Tailevu.
Dominika Lebotia, of Qelekuro Village in the district of Namena, was reportedly walking toward the jetty when the fatal bolt struck.
Vincent Yalimai, 19, who was working with friends at the Saint Vincent School compound, recounted the tragic incident.
“We were cutting grass at the school compound on Saturday when it started to rain heavily around noon,” he said. “Moments later, a thunderstorm and lightning followed.”
Mr Yalimai said he and five others took shelter on the school verandah but saw Dominika walking toward the jetty.
“We called out to her to seek shelter because of the lightning, but she waved us off and kept walking,” he said.
Minutes later, a bolt struck, and Dominika was found lying unconscious on the ground.
“We rushed to her and saw her hair smoking, her chest was fried. Everything metal on her body was burnt.”
She was rushed to the Korovou Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
