Lightning kills eight people in 2 Kigoma wards.

At least eight people, including six pupils, died on the spot while 15 others were injured after being struck by lightning in Kibirizi and Bangwe wards of Kigoma Ujiji Municipality.

 

According to eye witnesses, the two incidents occurred at around 11:00 a.m. when there was a heavy down pour that was accompanied by lightning.

 

The acting Doctor in Charge at the Kigoma Region Maweni Referral Hospital, Dr Fadhili Kabaya, confirmed receiving eight bodies of the deceased at around 1:00 p.m. and 15 injury victims. 

 

He said ten of the injured were discharged after being treated while others remained for further attention.

 

Dr Kabaya said among the deceased were six pupils of Kibirizi Primary School, four boys and two girls, aged between seven and ten years. Another deceased was a teacher at the school identified as Elieza Mbwambo (25).

 

The pupils were Yusuf Athumani (8), Hassan Ally (9), Walupe Kapopa (10), Shukrani Yohana (10), Fatuma Slay (7), and Zamda Seif (8).

 

Dr Kabaya said a resident of Bangwe ward, identified as Focus Ntahamba, 35, also died in a similar incident.

 

The Kigoma Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ferdinand Mtui confirmed the incident, saying:

 

“Although I am out of town and have no details, it is true that the incident occurred in the morning.”

 

He said he would make a press statement as soon as he has all the details.

 

On April 7, lightning killed five people and injured  18 others while an Easter Mass was in progress at a Tanzania Assemblies of God church in Chato District, Geita Region.

 

Geita Regional Police Commander Joseph Konyo confirmed the incident. He mentioned those killed as Daud Medard (20), Daud Lazaro (20), Saimon Marco (15), Haile Shija (20) and Monica Sumuni (19). 

 

He said four of the injured were admitted to Bwanga Dispensary, naming three of them as Mabula Mathias (8), Fabian Ezekiel (10) and Edina Leonard (21). He said the identity of the fourth was yet to be established.

 

The Doctor In-charge at the dispensary, Deogratias John, confirmed receiving the 18 injured people. He said 14 of them were discharged on the day they were admitted, but the remaining four were still being treated at the health facility. 

 

Further, on February 22, a similar incident occurred at a school in Kigoma where six children and a teacher were killed on the spot.

 

The incident, in which 11 students were injured, occurred when they were struck by lightning in their classroom following heavy rains.SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN