Lightning Strike Injures Two Children, Destroys School Buildings in Kamuli

What the report says

Two children were injured and several school buildings were destroyed when lightning struck Kinu Primary School in Namwendwa Sub-county, Kamuli District, during a heavy downpour, according to Nile Post. The boys had reportedly gone to the school to fetch water from a borehole and were caught in the storm while trying to shelter from the rain.

The injured pupils were identified as 14-year-old Edrine Ndunga, a Primary Five pupil at Kamuli Junior Nursery and Primary School, and 11-year-old Stephen Kisaame, a Primary Four pupil at Ndalike Primary School. Both were taken to Namwendwa Health Centre IV, where they were admitted for treatment. The article does not provide details on the extent of their injuries.

School headteacher Regina Nakate said the strike left a three-classroom block, staff quarters and a toilet block in ruins. She appealed for government and stakeholder support to help rebuild before the third term begins. Local officials also called for stronger protection measures at schools in the area, including lightning arresters, citing the recurring risk of storms in lightning-prone communities.

The report adds that community leaders urged parents to keep children indoors during thunderstorms and heavy rain. More broadly, the incident underscores ongoing concerns about school safety and disaster preparedness in rural areas where lightning strikes can damage infrastructure and endanger children.