Lightning Strike at Uganda Refugee CampClaims 14 Lives, Including Children

A lightning strike at a refugee camp in Uganda kills 14 people including children with 34 othershospitalized. The incident happened during an evening prayer session in Palabek settlementcamp, which mainly accommodates the South Sudanese refugees. According to policespokesman Kituuma Rusoke, the victims were gathered in a makeshift metallic structure whenlightning struck around 5:30 PM local time on Saturday.The tragedy was also the result of juvenile crime, and the victims included a girl of nine yearsold. The injured have been taken to nearby health facilities in the Lamwo district to receive firstaid. Palabek settlement camp is located in Uganda-South Sudan border which hosts about80,000 refugees mostly originated by the Civil war that erupted in South Sudan after itssecession in 2011.The metallic structure where the congregation had gathered for prayers became fatal when thestorm arrived in the evening. Local emergency services arrived at the location on time and hadto brave inclement weather to take the injured to nearby hospitals. Currently the local authoritiesare ongoing processes of establishing all the victims lamely and ensure they offer all the neededsupport to the families.Uganda has in the past recorded many fatal lightning occurrences especially during its two rainyseasons of the year. The tragedy is a clear pointer to the fact that there is need to enhance thesafety of refugees and internally displaced persons as well as other vulnerable persons. Failureto establish lightning conductors in many buildings including schools and temporary sheltersremains a big threat to the residents.There are current calls by the local authorities to enhance safety measures surroundingcommunal facilities in the refugee submit. The event has also raised the questions ofappropriate meteorological alerts and signing of lightning protection devices in the regionsexperiencing frequent storms