Adriel Ferrera was electrocuted while performing agricultural work
14ymedio, Matanzas, 30 August 2025 — Adriel Ferrera La O, 28 years old, died this Friday as a result of lightning in the town of Río Piedras, in Colón, Matanzas. The young man was electrocuted while performing agricultural work, the People’s Power Municipal Assembly reported on its Facebook page.
The neighbors tried to resuscitate him, but unfortunately Ferrera died before he could be taken to the hospital. He was the father of a two-year-old girl, according to several family members and friends in reports about his death.
Earlier this month, three children lost their lives in Manicaragua, Villa Clara, due to lightning during a storm. They were accompanied by 14-year-old Diamelis Delgado Granados, the only survivor of the group. She was hospitalized and fared well, according to the authorities.
The fatalities in that incident were: Andy Alberto Turiño González (13), Analía García Rodríguez (14) and Jorge Alejandro de la Coba Monteagudo (14), who had come from the United States to spend his holidays in Cuba.
Cuba records an annual average of 54 deaths from lightning strikes.
A few days later, on 10 August, a 42-year-old woman died after being struck by lightning. The incident also occurred in the municipality of Colón, Matanzas, when the victim was engaged in agricultural work, as was Adriel Ferrera La O.
Just two months ago, two other teenagers died under similar circumstances in Bauta, Artemisa. On June7, in the neighborhood of Pita (popular council Urban 2), Luis Antonio and Maicol -who were playing soccer outdoors- were struck by lightning.
In 2023, a lightning strike also killed Dunielkis Fonseca Borges, a worker at the Nickel Union Services Company in Moa, Holguín. In that incident, six other colleagues, who, like her, were waiting for transport to return home, were injured.
To date, Cuba has recorded an annual average of 54 deaths from lightning strikes, making it the leading cause of death from weather events. Between 1987 and 2017, 1,742 deaths were recorded, according to a study carried out by specialists from the Institute of Meteorology (Insmet).
According to recent estimates supported by NASA and other specialized sources, it is estimated that up to 24,000 people worldwide are killed annually by lightning strikes, and approximately 240,000 are injured. However, there is a lack of systematic official reports on the incidence of this type of phenomena in certain regions.
Translated by Regina Anavy
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