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What should have been a day of harmless enjoyment on this beach in Argentina turned in a split second to horror.

A bolt of lightning struck without warning.

In an instant three people lay dead.

Fifteen more have been injured.

(SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED WITNESS SAYING:

"It happened in seconds. The lightning hit and then there were people lying all over the beach. We ran with my father to help but it was ugly because they were all screaming and no-one really knew what to do. We did the best we could."

(SOUNDBITE)(Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED LIFEGUARD SAYING:

"People were scattered. Some had pains in their feet, some people were having convulsions and some were suffering cardiac arrest."

The lightning bolt hit holidaymakers at Villa Gesell beach south of Buenos Aires on Sunday.

The dead were two men and a woman.