Lightning strikes 9 pupils in Tororo, Uganda

Tororo- Nine pupils at Abubakari Primary School in Tororo Municipality were on Monday (20/10/2014) admitted in critical condition to Tororo hospital after they were struck by lightning.

A doctor at the hospital Andrew Opete said the children, who had been unconscious, had gained stability. “We are doing everything possible, in fact, they are already out of danger,” Dr Opete said.

Those admitted include Hahfa Binti Rasul (P.7), Ibrahim Walugo (P.6), Kefas Gonyil (P.4), Edrisa Hifude (P.5), Abdu Wahab Kato (P.5), Eddi Ojambo (P.4), Abdushakus Swale (P.4), Araphat Kakule (P.6) and Swaibu Wasswa (P.6).

According to Ms Rose Atabong, a teacher at the school, said the children had been playing in the school compound when lightning struck.

“It was not even raining and the children were just playing in the compound,” she said.

However, the school does not have lightning arresters, which contravene the Ministry of Education policy guidelines.

Tororo Municipality inspector of schools Patrick Ereboi blamed the school for failing to install the arresters, saying: “We inspected Abubakari P/S early this month and recommended that the school installs a lightening arrester and fire extinguishers for the children’s safety. But we are surprised that they haven’t put those facilities in place up to now.”

Only nine schools out 15 in Tororo Municipality have lightning arrestors.

Source: www.monitor.co.ug

Lightning injures students in Mwanza

Seventeen Kabuhoro Secondary School students in the city of Mwanza survived death on Wednesday, when they got hit by lightning following the ongoing heavy rains in the entire Lake Zone.

The seasonal short rains have began across the country accompanied by calamities involving lightning in some areas. Police here confirmed the incident.

According to the Regional Police Commander (RPC), Mr Valentino Mlowola, 17 students at Kabuhoro Secondary School in the municipality have been reported to be injured.

“Yes, we have confirmed the incident of lightning at the school,but reports we gathered have it that their condition is improving with medical treatment at the Sekou Toure Regional Hospital,” he said.

He said that 14 students got some electrical shocks and were rushed to the hospital and treated accordingly. Three students have been admitted for more investigations and closer medical attention.

However, Commander Mlowola said that in normal circumstances the police are not in the position to issue further public caution following the incident, since lightning is a natural calamity that cannot be controlled.

Commenting on the incident, the Regional Academic Officer, Mr Gervase Sezulu, said that Form Four students were in their classroom when they met the accident at 8.00 in the morning.

He challenged the government to make sure the school buildings and classrooms that are under construction are safeguarded with preventive gear like stable health wires to help regulate the possible effects of natural attacks that usually arrive unexpectedly.

Source: http://in2eastafrica.net

Lightning kills 3 children, injures four other people

A lightning bolt has struck and killed three children as heavy rains hit Kabale district.
Four other people sustained injuries after being struck on Sunday (28th Spetember 2014) night. The dead are all from Nyamasiizi Parish in Hamurwa Sub County.
The heavy downpour which started on Sunday evening extended to morning hours of Monday triggering off mudslides in the area that blocked the roads.
The dead have been identified as Zozima Mucunguzi, son of Francis Karabaye; Martin Akankwasa, a son of Deus Bandonda and Nalsi Byarugaba  a son to Silva Tirwomwe all residents of Nyamasiizi. All the dead were children below the age of 16.
Ivan Byamukama, an area resident says that the locals started running for shelter when the lightning struck several times. The deceased had taken shelter at a house belonging to Francis Karabaye when they were struck.
Four other people who were injured in separate strikes are receiving treatment at Rubanda Health Centre IV in Hamurwa Town council –Rubanda East County.
Kigezi regional Police spokesperson Elly Maate confirms the incident and says that the only important issue is strengthening the safety measures.
Rubanda county East Member of Parliament Henry Musasizi told URN on phone that the the leadership will continue to sensitize the locals on the safety precautions to escape lightning.
Lightning strikes in the Kigezi region are quite common with the most affected areas being the districts of Kisoro and Kabale.
The strikes usually become common between the months of September and December when heavy rains hit the area.
In October 2013, five people were killed after being struck by lightning in separate incidents.
The incidents took place in Rwamucucu and Kashambya sub counties.
On the 16th of September 2012 seven people were killed in Kabale and Kisoro districts.


Source: http://www.redpepper.co.ug

Steel manufacturer says power surges caused Shs3b losses- Uganda

Steel manufacturer, Roofings Group, has said it has lost equipment worth of $1.2 million (Shs3.1 billion) over the last 10 months due to power surges.
The Group technical director, Mr Sheikh Arif, said he believes the surges were caused by lightning strikes to electrical sub-stations, which distribute power to businesses and homes, as well as old equipment at the sub stations.

Another likely cause of the unstable power, according to the manufacturer, may be the erratic use of electricity, such as turning large motors on and off abruptly by neighbouring factories in the Namanve Industrial Area, he said.
“It is not power cuts, it is the power spikes,” Mr Arif said, clarifying the alleged source of his company’s losses to reporters and parliamentarians at the Namanve factory on Wednesday.

“If power goes off, the production line stops. The material we would have been producing [when the surge happens] goes to waste,” Mr Arif explained, adding that the surges occur almost on a daily basis.
Umeme head of communications Henry Rugamba, who confirmed his company is aware of the electricity issues Roofings Group faces, said: “I know the frustration of businesses and domestic customers,” adding that Umeme has responded to “any issues (they) report, but it is all infrastructure issues,” he said.
He added that improvements to electricity lines running to other industrial areas, like the Kampala-Mukono line, have been made in the last year.
“That has ensured better power to companies with more manageable electricity demands than the Roofings Group,” he said.

Still, the negative effects of unstable electricity on the productivity of businesses are widely recognized, including in a 2013 report by the World Bank. The bank’s ‘World Doing Business Report’ also notes that unreliable power can prevent companies from receiving a full return on the investments made, into machinery and properties, for example, by restricting productive capacity.

“To mitigate the problem of unstable electricity, you require an upgrade of the [power] line and the sub-stations because the sub-stations are quite old,” Mr Arif said, suggesting sub-stations belonging to electricity companies should be upgraded to stabilize power. “Once you have the
upgrade, the losses could be reduced.”

Source: Daily Monitor Uganda (www.monitor.co.ug)

Luanshya Schools Lack Lightning arrestors-Education Board [Zambia]

Time Posted: September 11, 2014 7:04 am

Luanshya District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) Rogers Chisenga has observed that most schools in the district were not well insulated with lightening arrestors as they have had the implements stolen.

The observation follows yesterday’s incident in which 12 pupils and three teachers from Luashya Central Secondary School were struck by lightning following unexpected rains that left a trail of destruction.

Mr Chisenga said there is urgent need to source money for the installation and replacement of lightening arresters in all schools in the district to avoid similar future incidences.

He was speaking in Luanshya today when he visited Luanshya Central secondary school to appreciate the extent of damage left by the lengthening which swept through a classroom block.

He noted with regret that most schools in the district were old and that their electrical insulation had grown weak, while in some other schools the installations have been stolen.

Mr Chisenga stated that his office was urgently working towards restoring power and water to the school to ensure adequate preparation of final examinations for Grades 12 and nines.

And school head teacher Chanda Nsofwa said all the 13 pupils were in a stable condition and that some had even reported for school.

He however said the school had engaged the local water utility company to consider opening up a direct connection to the school to avoid disruption of the school calander as examination classes were doing their final preparations.

Meanwhile, Luanshya District Commissioner Harold Mbaulu attributed the incident to poor wiring at the school.

Yesterday, 15 people sustained injuries when lightning struck through a classroom block following unexpected heavy rains that also left a trail of destruction as people were caught unaware.

Business came to a standstill in the central district as traders panicked to secure their merchandise as a heavy down pour surged the district.

Taxi drivers evaded the streets to catch customers who had no choice but to seek refuge from them.

A taxi driver Martin Kaputani said the rains were a blessing as they had boosted business which was until then was slow.

Lightning kills 2 in Mityana, uganda

A heavy down pour has left 3 people dead; two of the deceased were struck by lightning.

Police identified the deceased as Vincent Mawanda, a resident of Nakyerira in Bulera Sub County, Mityana district.

Mawanda was struck by lightning as he was resting in his bedroom.

The second victim was a 16-year-old Joseph Walusimbi a student at St Kizito Bbanda SS in S2. The incident occurred at Lusalira landing site in Bbanda Sub County.

Another victim John Yiga a resident of Bekiina in Butayunja Sub County, a boda boda cyclist was hit by a tree as he was riding back home.

Latiff Zaake, the Mityana District Police Commander confirmed the disaster.

Three dead in Kenya

Three women have been killed by lightning in Masabo village, Kiamokama division in Kisii County.

The 3 were killed while working on a farm in the area

Masaba South OCPD Martha Ng'etich confirmed the incident saying the dead included two women and a class 8 pupil.

The class 8 pupil was set to sit for her Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) at the end of the year.

According to the residents, there were signs of rain in the area but it had not yet started raining when the lightning struck.

Eye witnesses say that the 3 had been burnt beyond recognition.

Relatives, teachers and pupils gathered to stare at the tree where the 3 met their death.

The head teacher of Chironge Primary School John Ogucha termed the incident as “tragic”

The bodies have been taken to Gucha Sub District Hospital in Keroka.

Source: http://citizennews.co.ke/news/2012/local/item/21764-lightning-kills-3-in-kisii-county