? Sunday, March 1, 2009
Merlion Struck by Lightning.
(Taken From
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090228/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_singapore_merlion.
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore's iconic Merlion statue, a popular tourist attraction, was damaged by lightning Saturday afternoon during a thunderstorm, government radio reported. No one was hurt.
News radio station 938Live said the Merlion was struck by lightning between 4 and 5 pm local (0800-0900 GMT), causing parts of the statue to fall near a group of startled visitors.
The 8.6 metre-tall Merlion has the head of a lion and the body and tail of a fish, and sits at the mouth of the Singapore River near the central business district.
The lion head symbolises Singapore's founding by an Indonesian prince who named his new settlement after a lion he saw when he landed on the island. The body of the fish represents Singapore's origins as a fishing village.
Singapore, or "Singapura," is derived from the Sanskrit words Singa (or Lion) and Pura (City).
Singapore's police could not be reached for comment while a spokeswoman for Singapore's information ministry said she did not have any details about the incident.
Taken From
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_344544.htmlA lightning bolt struck the Merlion statue at about 4.30pm yesterday.
The national icon at One Fullerton facing the Singapore River
lost part of its top left mane and is believed to have its right ear chipped.
About 20 to 30 people nearby, including tourists, ran helter-skelter in the pouring rain when debris from the Merlion's head went flying.
Some ran to safety in the nearby shops and cafes.
The fragments fell onto the patio at One Fullerton and the Singapore River Cruise counter near the Merlion.
Nobody was hurt.
Eyewitness Ms Rina Toh, 17,
a barista at The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf at One Fullerton, said: 'I saw a bright Z-shaped lightning bolt, and it was a lot bigger than usual.'
She was standing at the counter and could see the Merlion.
Read the full story in the Sunday Times today.
~MBG
Labels: news
Blogged @ 3:59 PM
