Lightning strike kills dairy cows in West Pokot
A dairy farmer from Ywalete village, Kipkomo sub county of west pokot county has incurred loss of worth Ksh. 100,000 after his dairy animals were struck by lightning.
The animals were struck by lightning Tuesday evening at around 9.00 pm when they were in their cow shed.
Speaking to the press Wednesday morning, the farmer Benson Tumtum said he was alerted by his child who had woken up early that their animals were dead.
“I rushed to the cowshed immediately l was alerted and found two of animals dead,” he said.
Tumtum said he heard the lightning strike but he never thought it had hit in his homestead.
“It was not raining heavily so I assumed it had not caused any destruction in my home and continued sleeping,” he said.
Clemet Mesunjah a neighbor said cases of lightning in the area were on increase and asked the county government to install lighting resistors in the area.
“These cases have now become rampant in this region. For the past five years we have been incurring losses each year during rain seasons,” he said.
Mesunjah said many farmers in the region fear investing in dairy animals since they are afraid of incurring huge losses during rainy season.
Tumtum expressed fears that his children may fail to report to school for second term session on time since he was planning to sell one of the animals and pay fees.
However, Nominated member of county assembly Teresa Lokichu has asked national government to install lightning resistors in schools to prevent children from losing lives.
“Lightning resistors should be installed in schools before schools open for second term to prevent children from losing lives,” he said.
Lokicho said the area is expected to receive more rainfall and also asked the county government to help in putting in place mitigation measures to avert deaths and destruction of property.
Last year two school going children were struck to death by lightning.
The County government however is set to install high most lightening resistors at strategic areas that are affected by the menace.