April 4, 2016 - TANZANIA - Two residents of Ikwiriri District in Coast Region died while two others escaped with serious injuries after being struck by lightning.
The incident occurred yesterday around 1pm at Umwe Kati in Ikwiriri when watching a movie at a makeshift pavilion.
Confirming the tragedy, Rufiji District Commissioner Nurdin Babu named the deceased as Haji Lupango, 17, and Adam Kitumbi, 6, both residents of Umwe Kati in Coast Region.
According to the district Commissioner, those who sustained injuries are Salum Makuka and Zuberi Mkono, who are admitted to Mchukwi Hospital in Ikwiriri.
"There was a huge thunder accompanied by lightning that struck the pavilion in Ikwiriri," Mr Babu said.
When contacted for comment, medical officer at Mchukwi Hospital Rashid Omari said he received four people who had been struck by lightning.
Dr Omari said two of them had already died.
He said after examining the injured (Makuka and Mkono) he discovered that they were in critical conditions, a situation that compelled him to transfer them to Mchukwi Hospital.
Lightning may be seen and not heard when it occurs at a distance too great for the sound to carry as far as the light from the strike or flash.
On earth, the lightning frequency is approximately 40-50 times a second or nearly 1.4 billion flashes per year. - All Africa.
