Phnom Penh (Cambodia) - Several people have died in a lightning strike in the world 's largest temple complex.

Three people sought shelter from a thunderstorm at the Angkor Wat World Heritage Site in northern Cambodia on Friday when they were struck by lightning, theAssociated Press(AP) reported on Monday.

A spokesman for the authorities told the news agency that the victims were three locals. According to the Red Cross, two of the victims were a 52-year-old woman and a 34-year-old man.

The Minister of State, Hout Hak, had previously taken action against video footage of the accident that had been circulated online in order to prevent possible damage to the tourism sector.

The ruined city in the north of the country attracts millions of visitors every year.

The Hindu temple complex was built in the 12th century and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. There are over 1000 individual temples spread over an area of around 1000 square kilometers.