Lightning kills 8 pupils in Uganda

PUPILS, teachers, parents and the neighbours of Buramba Primary School in Bushenyi-Ishaka Municipality, were on Thursday evening left in shock, after lightning struck eight pupils to death and left 23 critically injured.
The shocking incident happened at 4:45 PM during a simple drizzle, as the pupils were in class for evening lessons at the school.
According to the Bushenyi District Police Commander SP Richard Anyama, the lightning struck only P.6 and P.7 classes.
The dead pupils included four girls and four boys and 6 of them were in P.7 while two were in Primary 6.
31 pupils were struck down, of whom 8 died on the spot and 23 were rushed to Kampala International University (KIU) Western Campus in Ishaka Town, where they are being treated.
Anyama confirmed the dead as Guston Mukundamukama P7, Hillary Tusiime (13) P7, Agnes Kyomugisha (14) P.7, Junior Nuwahereza (16) P7, Danson Nuwamanya P7, Grace Ainembabazi (14) P7, Anitah Nuwandita (14) P6 and Confort Akampurira (12) P6.
Efforts to contact the school’s head teacher were futile.
This was the second time it rained in the area in recent days and also for the first time in a number of years in the middle of a dry spell.
On Sunday, a heavy downpour characterized by strong winds and hailstones, destroyed plantations and livestock in the adjacent areas of Nyamitanga, Kyamutiganzi and Irembezi, all in Kyabugimbi sub county in Bushenyi district.