Football player gets killed as lightning strikes in Peru

During a football game in Peru, one of the players was struck by lightning and died. Five more people are said to have been hurt in the incident as well. The incident happened during a football game between two local clubs, Juventud Bellavista as well as Familia Chocca, in the Chilca sector of the Peruvian city of Huancayo.

Jose Huga de la Cruz Meza, 39, is seen in the camera footage falling to the ground after being struck by lightning, according to an article published by The Sun. At the hospital, he was pronounced dead. Additionally, Juan Chocca Llacta, 40, the goalie, was also struck and sustained severe burns. 

A minimum of eight players are seen in the footage collapsing to the ground soon after they were struck by lightning. According to a different Sportbible source, De La Cruz may have been struck by lightning since he was sporting a metal bracelet throughout the game.

With 22 minutes remaining, Bellavista had a 2-0 lead over Chocca. However, as loud thunderclaps approached the stadium, the referee made the decision to end the match. Calls for improved security measures at athletic events have been sparked by the incident. This includes high-altitude regions that are susceptible to frequent thunderstorms during the monsoon season, such as Huancayo.

Other serious cases of lightning affecting football games

Despite a few attempts at resuscitation, an Indonesian football player met a similar end in February earlier this year. According to reports, the man was identified as 30-year-old Subang, Java native Septain Rahaja, who passed very suddenly.

Twenty-five years ago, a lightning strike in the Democratic Republic of the Congo killed eleven persons, including spectators and athletes. Additionally, thirty more individuals who attended the game were burned. Even though these kinds of events don't happen often, they highlight the difficulties of playing football in inclement weather and the dearth of facilities that smaller teams need to deal with such problems.