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JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Lightning struck a livestock cage in western Indonesia, killing a shepherd and 19 buffaloes, police said Tuesday.
Sitor Habeyahan had been driving the animals into the cage just after sunset on Monday and began to light a bonfire as usual to repel mosquitoes when lightning struck him and his buffaloes in North Sumatra province's Tapanuli Tengah district, local police chief Sukamat said.
Sukamat, who uses a single name, said the man and 19 buffaloes were killed. Two other animals received minor injuries.
"We have not heard about such numbers killed by lightning strikes before," Sukamat said, "This was tragic, an unusually deadly event."
Grieving relatives buried the shepherd on Tuesday near a mass grave built for his buffaloes.
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