MASAKA .
Shock has gripped residents of Sserinya Village in Bulando Parish, Nyendo –Mukungwe Municipality, Masaka City after a devastating lightning struck a local school and killed one teacher and left the head teacher and fifteen pupils injured.
The deceased Moses Ponsiano Mutawe , was a mathematics and science teacher for Primary Five and Six classes at Sserinya Primary School .
The 8am incident, which happened during heavy downpour, has caused great panic and fear among pupils and teaching staff, forcing management to indefinitely close the school.
Allan Kizito, an eye witness said the incident occurred when the teachers were teaching the learners in the classrooms.
“It appeared like a normal rainfall, but to the shock of everyone who were inside the classroom, lightning struck the classroom through the door and we saw our colleagues falling under the desks ,” one of the survivors said
Joseph Kivumbi ,a teacher at the school ,said Mutaawe fell down together with another teacher, Rose Nakkazi ,but Mutaawe was hit hard .
Also the head teacher of the school, Ms Florence Nambalirwa was hit on the left leg.
He lightning first hit a nearby tree and then hit the classrooms where the teachers and pupils were seated.
Joseph Yiga , the school director and also speaker of Nyendo-Mukungwe Municipality , said Mutawe died upon arrival at St. Joseph Hospital ,Kitovu where he had been rushed together with the pupils after the incident .
“It’s so sad that we have lost our colleague in that incident, but good enough ,the information we are getting is that the injured pupils are steadily improving and so far seven out of the 15 that were at St Joseph Hospital ,Kituvu have been discharged and the remaining few are also being monitored closely.” he said
Mr Yiga said that the school is going to be closed for some time to mourn their fallen staff .
Jane Nakimera, a resident and parent at the school said this is the second time lightning is hitting our school. “Two years back, it hit the solar panels on the roof of the classroom block , but no pupil or teacher was injured’’ she said
Southern Regional Police spokesperson, Mr Twaha Kasirye has however said the proprietor of the school did not make a formal report to police about the incident.
“However, we have dispatched our team to the school to establish what exactly happened and we shall soon release a report about the incident ,” he said
Advantages of installing lightening arrestors
When a house or classroom block is safe from lightning, electrical damages and fires can be avoided. This is the reason all commercial buildings should have one installed to avoid future cost of replacing properties.
The cost of installing lightning arrestors varies, depending on the size of the house, but the installation on an average house may cost between sh800, 000 and sh3million , depending on the number of copper strips used and the size and height of the building.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation , Uganda has one of the highest rates of lightning strike deaths in the world and during every rainy season some lives are lost .