Lightning bolt kills Woman, others injured in Zombo

BY ALEX PITHUA AND MIKE RWOTHOMIO

Grief engulfed residents of Zombo town council , Zombo district after a lightning bolt struck buildings killing a woman instantly and leaving two children and an adult mother critically injured.

Margaret Amony, the town agent of Abira West Ward Zombo town council confirmed the tragic hair-raising incident that occurred at around 1:00pm on Friday 16th August.

Margaret added that the deceased and the victims were residents of Cana Cell, Abira Parish Zombo town council.

“Due to heavy rainfall today, lightning stuck one of the household in my village (Cana Cell Abira West Ward, Zombo T/c) today at around 1:00pm burning the whole house Killing the mother of that family right on spot as she was preparing meals(lunch) for the siblings and finally leaving the sister of the deceased and other 2 siblings unconscious.” Amony explained

The lightning strikes, setting alight houses to arches destroying household’s properties alike.

Residents say the unidentified woman was preparing lunch when the incident occurred.

The torrential rains accompanied by lightning and thunderstorm have taken weeks across the district decimating crops and properties rendering farmers to losses.

Last July; in a harrowing twist of events, lightning struck more than 70 primary school children who had turn- up football competition at Oweku Primary School,  Ndhew sub-county, Nebbi district.

The learners were taking shelter in classrooms when it was raining at the time the lightning struck.

While in Nebbi municipality for connection of West Nile to the National grid, president Museveni ordered district leadership to ensure lightning arrestors are installed on all classrooms.

According to reports from local leaders, many school buildings in West Nile don’t have lightning arrestors, attributing it to contractors’ negligence to install it.