KUANTAN, MALAYSIA - A villager in Kampung Sepat near here lost one-third of his cattle when 13 of his animals died after being struck by lightning.

Mat Salleh Awang, 58, could not believe his ears when a neighbour told him yesterday that his cattle were found dead in an oil palm plantation about 1.5km from their village.

"I rushed to the area and was shocked when I saw the carcasses with burn marks on their bodies," said Mat Salleh who rears about 50 animals near his home.

He said the Veterinary Services Department had sent its officers to check the carcasses and they had confirmed that the animals died after being struck by lightning.

Normally, he said all his animals would return to their sheds at dusk but 13 of them could not be located on Tuesday night.

"I'm so depressed as some of the animals were to have been sacrificed for the Aidil Adha celebration," said Mat Salleh.