Lightning kills 10 in Africa's Malawi
Lilongwe/Xinhua: At least 10 people have been killed by lightning in Malawi in East Africa since the rain season started in November, a situation weather experts and the police have described as worrisome.
The first death occurred in early November in the country's border district of Phalombe in the southern region where an 11-year-old girl was killed when she took shelter from the rain under a tree on her way from school.
Between Dec 5 and 12, lightning struck six people dead in separate occasions in Chikwawa, another border district with Mozambique in the southern region.
The six included a baby girl, three women and two men who were all struck outdoors either working in their respective gardens or taking shelter from the rains under a tree.
On Sunday, three people were again struck dead by lightning amid prayers in, Ntcheu, another border district with Mozambique in the central region, while a dozen were left injured and they were rushed to the nearest hospital.
Sunday's mishap brought the lightning death toll to 10 since the 2019/20 rain season commenced.
Police have confirmed all the deaths and described the incidents as shocking.
"Our advice to the general public is that they should stay indoors when it's raining; when outdoors, they should avoid seeking shelter under isolated trees," police spokesperson for Chikwawa, Foster Benjamin, told the local media.
In December 2013, lightning killed 8 worshipers amid prayers in the capital Lilongwe and left a dozen injured.
A UNDP report in May observed that Malawi's annual death rate from lightning "is extremely high compared to other countries in the world."
According to the report, the rate is 16 times higher than similar sub-regions in southern Africa and 50 times higher than that of the US.
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