At least 14 persons, including children, tragically lost their lives in a Ugandan refugee camp when lightning struck a makeshift church where they sought shelter during a heavy storm.
The incident occurred in Palabek refugee camp in northern Uganda, with around 50 people taking refuge in the church.
William Komech, the resident district commissioner for Lamwo region, confirmed the devastating toll, on Sunday stating, “Fourteen people died when lightning hit its metal roof, including five girls and nine boys aged between 14 and 18.”
He further noted that several injured individuals were receiving medical care at health centers following the lightning strike.
The refugees affected by the tragedy were predominantly from the Nuer community of South Sudan.
Hillary Onek, Uganda’s minister for refugees and disaster preparedness, assured that the government, in collaboration with UNHCR and other agencies, was providing necessary assistance to the survivors.
Onek noted the government’s prompt response, stating, “The government team is already on the ground helping to deliver the bodies to their respective families.”
Uganda has witnessed multiple lightning-related fatalities in recent years, including incidents at a primary school in 2011 and in August 2020.
The country also faced a devastating loss of four endangered mountain gorillas due to a lightning strike in Mgahinga National Park in February 2020.
