SHEEMA.
Shock gripped residents of Kinogo Cell, Kishabya Ward in Sheema District on Monday evening after two siblings were fatally struck by lightning ..
The victims, identified as 14-year-old Demus Tugabirwe and 12-year-old Triva Twinomugisha, were pupils at St Charles Lwanga Primary School in Shuuku Town Council.
The children were reportedly returning from grazing goats near their home in Kinogo Cell, Kishabya Ward, when the incident occurred.
Lawrence Mugisha, a resident of Kinogo Village, said the strike happened around 5:45 p.m. at Kisizi Central Cell in Shuuku.
“There were other people in the area, but the lightning only struck the two children, who were siblings,” he said. He added that no one else was injured in the incident.
According to Mr Apollo Tayebwa , the Greater Bushenyi police spokesperson authorities responded promptly, securing the scene and delivering the bodies to Kabwohe Health Centre IV for postmortem examination to confirm the exact cause of death.
“Investigations are still ongoing, and we will keep the public updated on new developments,” he said.
Mr Tayebwa further urged residents to remain vigilant during storms. “We strongly encourage the public to continue partnering with police in securing lives and property,” he said.
Lightning-related fatalities are a recurring hazard in Uganda. A report by the Uganda National Commission for UNESCO notes that since 2007, lightning strikes have claimed 191 lives and injured 727 people nationwide. Districts including Hoima, Jinja, Kisoro, and Kalangala have recorded the highest incidences.
The majority of casualties occur in outdoor locations such as grazing fields, under trees, or while walking in the open. Afternoon thunderstorms are particularly dangerous, and incidents have also been reported inside classrooms and homes.