Swimmers have always been told to get out of the water during a thunderstorm, but Carmelo Rondon, 23, was not aware or did not heed this advice and paid with his life after being struck by lightning while swimming at Boca Chica beach.
A child who was with Rondon suffered serious burns. Rondon lived in San Luis, in Santo Domingo East. Heavy rainfall affected the Santo Domingo area yesterday, Thursday 17 September 2015.
A forensic doctor confirmed the cause of death, accompanied by firefighters and Civil Defense workers, who retrieved the body from the sea.
El Nacional reports that Ricardo Rodriguez, 36, Guillermo de Jesus, 38, and Welly de la Paz, 13, were also struck by lightning while driving home on their motorcycles in La Caleta, near Boca Chica.