Lightning kills 14-year-old shepherd near Kifri

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A young shepherd on Monday died after he was hit by a lightning strike near the town of Kifri.

Saman Sartip, the director of the Shahid Khalid Garmiyani hospital in Kifri told Rudaw that at around 7 am on Monday, the body of a 14-year-old shepherd was brought to the hospital who died as a result of a lightning strike. 

"Doctors have confirmed that the young man died of cardiac arrest due to lightning," said Sartip.

The incident happened at around 6:00 am, according to Sartip near the Qori Cha village between the districts of Kifri and Tuz Khurmatu.

According to Sartip, the young boy left home to tend his herd, when the lightning struck him near their home.

Kifri is located in the Garmiyan independent administration.

Lightning lit up the skies in several areas of the Kurdistan Region on Sunday.