A pickup game of soccer in the rain turned deadly Saturday when lightning struck among a group of some 30 players, killing two and injuring three, the daily La Nación reported.
Officials from the Judicial Investigation Police, or OIJ, identified one victim as Emer Calderón, 37, La Nación reported. The paper mentioned the second victim’s name only as Alexánder, 25. Three others are in good condition after being treated by the Red Cross at the scene.
The soccer match took place at public soccer fields east of the National Stadium, a popular weekend gathering spot in La Sabana Park in western San José.
Also Saturday, lightning struck and killed José Pablo Navarro, 24, in Santa Cruz, in the northwestern province of Guanacaste.
Meteorologist Gabriela Chinchilla said that lightning strikes are common during Costa Rica’s rainy season, and it’s important if caught in a storm to seek shelter, the paper reported.
