A heart-wrenching event unfolded in Uganda’s northern Lamwo district on Saturday when lightning struck a church, tragically killing fourteen people and injuring 34 others, as reported by police authorities.
The incident occurred at a church located within the Palabek refugee camp. According to Kituuma Rusoke, the spokesperson for Uganda’s police, the disaster took place around 5:30 p.m. while individuals had gathered for a prayer service.
“The unfortunate event happened during a prayer meeting at a church in Zone 8, Block 2 of the Palabek settlement camp,”
Rusoke posted on social media the following day. He went on to mention that rain began to fall around 5:00 p.m., with the lightning strike occurring shortly afterward.This tragic incident is a stark reminder of the dangers posed by lightning, which is a recurrent threat in the region.
Across the border in Kenya, similar occurrences have raised concerns about safety. In June, a similar tragedy struck a school in the northern Nebbi District, where 77 students were injured while playing outdoors during a sports competition.Furthermore, in August 2020, a devastating lightning strike took the lives of ten children in northwestern Arua city. They had sought refuge in a grass-thatched hut during a storm after their outdoor play was interrupted, only for the building to be struck by lightning.
These sorrowful events highlight the critical need for awareness and safety measures in areas prone to thunderstorms and lightning strikes, emphasizing the necessity for communities to stay informed and prepared.
Our hearts go out to the victims and their families during this unimaginable time of loss and grief.
