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Nineteen Russian tourists injured in lighting strike on Crete island

Xinhua, May 29, 2015 Adjust font size:

Nineteen Russian tourists were injured, one of them seriously, when struck by lightning at the archaeological site of Knossos on Crete island in southern Greece on Friday, according to local authorities.

Local police said the foreign visitors had rushed under a tree with umbrellas open to protect themselves from a sudden storm, when the lightning struck. Most sustained minor injuries from falling on the ground from the electric shock, but one woman suffered a heart attack.

Doctors at the local hospital told local media that she was in serious condition.

The site was closed to visitors, as investigators looked into the circumstances of the incident.

Local authorities said there was at least one lighting rod installed for protection at the site, which is considered one of the main archaeological attractions in Greece. Local officials added that the monuments were not damaged. Endit