SINGAPORE - Seven people, including two children, were taken to the hospital on the afternoon of July 5 after a lightning strike incident at Pasir Ris Beach.

The Straits Times understands that a man in his 20s was struck by lightning while taking part in water activities off the beach there, and was unconscious when taken to the hospital.

He was among eight people – five males and three females – who were kayaking and paddleboarding at the beach, according to Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force was alerted to the incident at about 4.50pm.

One person was taken unconscious to Sengkang General Hospital. Four others were taken conscious to the same hospital.

Two children were taken conscious to KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

In a video of the incident provided by an ST reader, groups of people can be seen standing on a grassy area by the beach as an SCDF officer seemingly performs chest compressions on a person.

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A Light Fire Attack Vehicle, commonly known as the Red Rhino, and an ambulance are also seen on a pavement behind the area.

Photos taken by Lianhe Zaobao show a police vehicle at the beach near Carpark D at Pasir Ris Park at 6.30pm. The Straits Times has contacted the police for more information.

An eyewitness, Muhammad Fairuz, who was fishing at the beach, told ST that the group was about 100m out in the water shortly after 4pm, adding that the skies were clear when lightning struck the water.

“I could feel the (electric) current on my fishing rod,” said the 40-year-old delivery rider.

He heard shouting, and saw a man lying unconscious on his paddleboard, while the rest of his group paddled back to shore in their kayaks.

Fairuz said he and another man took their kayaks out to rescue the man and bring him back to land.

“My intention was just to bring him back,” he said.

Singapore has an average of 176 lightning days per year, based on the Meteorological Service Singapore’s website. A lightning day is defined as a day when at least one lightning occurrence is detected at the Changi climate station.

In May, a worker at a fish farm died after being struck by lightning.

In 2023, three workers were taken to hospital after lightning struck near their work site on Dec 28.

SINGAPORE – More than $2.9 million in potential losses were prevented in June, in an anti-scam operation between the police and several cryptocurrency exchanges.

Over 130 victims were identified during the operation from June 1 to 30, the Singapore Police Force said on July 5.

Its Anti-Scam Centre and Cyber Investigation Branch worked with cryptocurrency exchanges, including Coinbase, Coinhako, Gemini, Independent Reserve, OKX, StraitsX and Upbit, in their third such operation.