August 04, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 1 429

OSLO: Nearly 100 people were slightly hurt when lightning struck down several times among spectators at a rally-cross race in southeastern Norway on Sunday, police said.

“A large number of spectators had gathered on a hill to see the race when lightning struck down twice among them,” at around 2:00 pm (1200 GMT), Hans Eng of the Hedemark regional police said.

“Ninety-one people have registered as having been affected by the lightning in some way. At least 39 people have checked into different hospitals and others are crowding into medical centres,” he said, adding there were no reports of serious injuries.

The Dagbladet daily’s website meanwhile reported that as many as 1,000 people may have been standing on the hill when lightning appeared to strike umbrellas and a nearby fence.

The rest of the event was cancelled after it became apparent what had happened, the Dagbladet newspaper reported.—AFP