Fifteen students attending a scouts camp at Pengkalan Badak, Bukit Katil in Malacca were rushed to the Malacca Hospital for observation after being traumatised by lightning that struck the camp area yesterday evening.

The students from SMK St Francis were among 569 students from all over Malacca attending the camp that would be held from yesterday till April 14.

Malacca Chief Minister Mohd Ali Rustam, who confirmed the incident, said all the students complained of pain in their body after lightning struck the camping area at about 5.30pm.

He, however, said even though the students involved did not sustain any serious injuries, they were sent to the hospital for observation to determine whether they were affected by the lightning which struck the area.

“All the affected students were in high spirits and wished to continue with the camp,” he said after visiting the victims at the Malacca Hospital yesterday.

The chief minister also assured their parents that the students were being looked after by trained personnel from the Armed Forces when they are in the camp.

- Bernama