Lightning kills 18 kids at primary school

Lightning kills 18 kids at primary school

www.theaustralian.com.a u

A LIGHTNING strike at a primary school in western Uganda has killed 18 students and injured 50.
Lightning hit Runyanya primary school in Kiryandongo district, about 225km northwest of Kampala, killing 15 girls and three boys yesterday, police spokeswoman Judith Nabakooba said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

It's not often you hear of mass casualties from lightning strikes, and incidents like this which kills so many children are quite horrific.

What really amazes me about this is it's not a one off incident.

Nabakooba could not provide an exact figure for the total number killed by lightning in recent weeks, but local newspaper The Daily Monitor reported a total of 28 killed and scores injured in the past week, including Tuesday's incidents.

It's not like they don't have enough to worry about Uganda.

www.theaustralian.com.a u
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by Shere Khaan


why does this happen to the innocent
and not the evil doers TPTB and the like
well they do say the good die younger than
the rest of us.

Originally posted by philware
reply to post by Shere Khaan

 

why does this happen to the innocent
and not the evil doers TPTB and the like
well they do say the good die younger than
the rest of us.

God works in mysterious ways.

Holy cow, that's unreal. And the following made me raise an eyebrow:

Uganda is experiencing unseasonably heavy rainstorms and concern about the number of recent lightning strikes has prompted lawmakers to demand an official explanation from government

Are they accusing the government of weather manipulation?

reply to post by Shere Khaan


Ugh- that's just horrible-
I don't think I've ever heard of that many people being killed by lightning at the same time.....crazy

This sounded very strange and made me wonder were the children inside or outside when this happened? Are the buildings constructed with tin roofs etc?

This BBC report has a bit of extra info.

According to the AP new agency, meteorologist Ken Kizza Aderi says the lack of lightning conductors on buildings could be partly responsible for the deaths. Kiryandongo police commander Patrick Byaruhanga told Uganda's state-owned New Vision paper that the lightning struck at about 1630 local time (1330 GMT) as pupils were in their classrooms waiting for a downpour to subside before going home.

www.bbc.co.uk...

So maybe people are demanding a government explanation over the construction and safety of buildings. It's particularly tragic that two schools were hit.

Originally posted by Red_xi
Holy cow, that's unreal. And the following made me raise an eyebrow:

Uganda is experiencing unseasonably heavy rainstorms and concern about the number of recent lightning strikes has prompted lawmakers to demand an official explanation from government

Are they accusing the government of weather manipulation?

Uh...aren't lawmakers and government one in the same? Weird.

Is it monsoon season there? I wonder if this happens every year.

Africa experiences some of the worst electrical storms in the world and deaths are, sadly, not uncommon. India also sees many die each year from lightning.

This is like one of those 'End of the World' movies or even the scenes from 'War of the Worlds.'

Never heard of this before.

Now they want Govt. answers? Do they know something that we don't?

I think this is very likely to be part of the probem:

A natural resource management specialist at Uganda's National Forestry Authority (UNFA), Marx Kabi, said the felling of trees was another major cause of lightning strikes.

"People have cut down trees, which used to absorb or provide a channel for the transmission of lightning. Most areas are now just covered with shrubs,"

www.bbc.co.uk...

Last year, hundreds died in landslides for basically the same reason .....

Originally posted by Essan
I think this is very likely to be part of the probem:

A natural resource management specialist at Uganda's National Forestry Authority (UNFA), Marx Kabi, said the felling of trees was another major cause of lightning strikes.

"People have cut down trees, which used to absorb or provide a channel for the transmission of lightning. Most areas are now just covered with shrubs,"

www.bbc.co.uk...

Last year, hundreds died in landslides for basically the same reason .....

I can see that as being a contributing factor but 18 killed in what they quote as 'A lightning strike'.

'A' as in 'one' strike. May be a lack of info on the story but if it is indeed one strike, that's a new one...trees or not IMO.

I never have a lightening in my life. Last time i was outside biking in the dark and all the sudden it was lightening. Yet it didn't touch me or anything for the last 3 hours of my bike time. Strange of you ask me .

reply to post by arbitrarygeneraiist


18 kids are dead and your answer is god works in mysterious ways?
i guess those kids had to die for the big plan god has?

R.I.P to the children sent

call me crazy,but this sounds like some group testing a weapon,just a thought.

More than the kids have been killed. Could be the same reports but the victims are reported as different.

This time Nigeria.

www.timesunion.com...

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria (AP) — Authorities say 15 people in northeastern Nigeria have died from lightning strikes after strong thunderstorms swept through the region's rural pasturelands. Read more: www.timesunion.com...

Wednesday the deaths occured in Gombe and Yobe states, killing eight men, four women and three children Tuesday. Read more: www.timesunion.com...

A Predator Drone that was meant to fly over Somalia that had a navigation malfunction and simply flew off course?

"Hey Sarge, look at the video. Is them terrorists down there?"

"Hell they all look the same to me. Let God sort them out. Push the button"

reply to post by starviego


SMH.......