Four farmers died and five others were injured when lightning struck their shelter hut in a rice field in Serang, Banten, on Tuesday afternoon. The incident happened amid heavy rain in the area. Police confirmed the deaths were due to lightning based on forensic examination.
A tragic incident occurred in the rice fields of Lingkungan Wadas Badamusalam Barat, Kecamatan Kasemen, Serang City, Banten, on Tuesday afternoon (November 2, 2025). Nine farmers were clearing weeds in the fields when rain began falling around 3:00 PM WIB. Heavy downpour forced them to stop work and gather in a small open hut in Blok Si Pencil, right in the middle of the rice paddies, to take shelter.
Weather conditions worsened into the evening. Around 5:15 PM WIB, lightning suddenly struck the hut sheltering the nine people. "The incident happened suddenly. One of the victims who could still walk rushed to the nearby village to seek help," said Kapolsek Kasemen, Iptu Nasihin.
Police officers and villagers arriving at the scene found the victims lying around the hut. Four farmers were pronounced dead: AH (48), SN (52), AW (37), and RF (48). The other five suffered burns: SM (27), BH (60), SY (55), AK (55), and TH (44). "The five victims are still receiving treatment for burns; two at RSDP Serang and three at RSUD Kota Serang. Their conditions are stable but they remain in shock," Nasihin stated.
Forensic examination revealed characteristic burn marks on the deceased victims' bodies, confirming lightning as the cause. The bodies of the four victims were handed over to families for burial after identification.