Thunderbolt victims are being attended at a hospital in Linhai city, east China's Zhejiang province June 26, 2004. 15 local villagers were killed and another 15 were injured Saturday.

The thunderbolt death toll in east China's Zhejiang Province rose to 15 by 9:30 p.m. Saturday as one more injured villager died in local hospital.

The tragedy occurred at 2:20 p.m. in the day at the Duqiao Town of Linhai City when 30 villagers were sheltering from the rain under four metasequoia trees. Eleven of them died at the scene and four others, including a female, died in hospital after an emergent treatment failed, said Yang Shaojie, an official with the Linhai City government.

By press time, 15 villagers have been treated at the No. 2 People' s Hospital of Linhai City and three of them were still in danger, said Yang.

Officials are at the site to help with rescue work and console the victims' family.

Repeated thunderbolts have so far killed 18 and injured 54 in the southwestern China province of Guizhou this year.

Incomplete statistics provided by the provincial authority for thunderbolt prevention show that by June 22, Guizhou had reported 120 thunderbolts that caused heavy casualties, killed dozens of cattle and destroyed hundreds of electric appliances.

The two provincial governments have warned local residents off negligence about the thunderbolts. Experts warned the local peopleto avoid sheltering under trees or using cell phones during thunder storms. Besides, all electric appliances should be switched off to avoid damages.