A family from Okook village in Teso South sub county in Busia county is struggling to come to terms with the saddening death of a form one girl who was struck by lightning on Wednesday evening. Jenipher Amoit said her daughter, Lydia Emwatok Esirom was airing her clothes outside their house when she was hit by lightning and died as she was being taken to hospital. The family’s cow and it’s one month calf were also killed in the 6 pm incidence. “She came back from school at five in the evening, went to fetch water in the neighborhood and came to wash her uniforms. Shortly it started raining when she was just airing her uniforms outside and I heard her scream. When I went there I found her lying on the ground with injuries on her body. Neighbours came and rushed her to Lukolis health center where she was pronounced dead upon arrival.”
Mrs. Amoit says her daughter’s death is a big blow to her as she has struggled to raise her and her other siblings since her husband, their father, died several years ago.”It’s so painful to lose one of the children I have struggled with since their father died and left them in my hands when they were very young. I had hopes that she would finish school, get a job and help the family in future,” stated the sorrowful mother.
She has appealed to the government and well wishers to help her bury her daughter saying she has no funds to cater for funeral expenses.
The family has also joined hands with area residents to appeal to the government to install lightning arresters in the area noting that several people have lost their lives and livestock through lightning strikes.”We appeal to the government to install lightning arresters in this area to avert more deaths because this is not the first time someone or animal is being killed by lightning. In 1996 two people were killed, a few years later another one was again struck to death. And we can’t count our animals and trees that have been hit by lightning.”
