Uganda: Victims of lightning strike buried

A refugee camp in mourning.

Victims of lighting strike in Palabek settlement camp northern Uganda were buried on Sunday (Nov. 03).

They had gathered to pray when the rain started around 5:00 PM Saturday, and the lightning thunder struck half an hour later.

Police identified 14 victims, amongst whom 8 males.

Deadly lightning is commonly reported in Uganda during the wet season.

"From the figures we identified; we had 14 mortalities. And these are people who died on the spot and the age group of 9 to 21, the youngest being a 9-year-old girl, then the eldest being a 21-year-old male.”

Police investigations revealed an absence of anti-lightning infrastructure.

Victims were attending a prayer service in a makeshift metallic structure when the lighting struck.

The deceased are reportedly from neighboring South Sudan.