Lightning kills 8 in Malawi
Eight members of the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, including a five-year-old girl and five teenagers, died on Saturday after lightning struck their church during service.
Police in Lilongwe has put the number of people injured at 40. Many were treated as outpatients on Saturday night at Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH).
Lilongwe Police deputy spokesperson Kingsley Dandaula said the incident occurred around 4pm as the faithful were winding up the day’s service.
He said: “Lightning struck and eight people were reported dead on the spot, about 40 others were taken to hospital and were treated as outpatients except for one who has been admitted with serious injuries.”
Police have not found any extenuating circumstances which could have led to lightning striking people inside a church, he said.
The eight have been identified as five-year-old Princess Nachichi, 18-year-old Alan Jossam, Amos Tengeletu (16), Gertrude Alison (17), Alice Singini (16), Judith Kamwachali (18), Beut Ligowe (33) and Mary Juwawo (54).
The church has expressed shock and sadness at the death and injuries.
SDA Central Malawi Conference director of communications Ernest Khonje said in an interview on Sunday the whole church was saddened at such an unexpected development.
He said: “As you know, we gather on Saturday and this was a normal gathering when this tragedy struck. It is a very sad development, we did not expect something like this to happen.”
The church is currently making arrangements for the burial of the eight faithful.
In a related development, Vice-President Khumbo Kachali has described the lightning incident as tragic.
Kachali, who visited some of the survivors admitted to KCH, told Malawi News Agency (Mana) at the hospital that on behalf of President Joyce Banda, he thought it wise to see the condition of those affected and to also cheer them up.
There were 48 patients, 15 of whom children, 21 women and 12 men, at KCH when Kachali visited.
Said Kachali: “This accident happened yesterday as our friends were praying at SDA church in Area 36 and eight have died. The loss of eight lives is very tragic. I am, however, glad that there is great improvement among those who were struck by lightning. Let us continue praying for those affected so that they recover quickly.”
Patricia Chimwayi, one of the survivors admitted to KCH, said the incident happened around 4pm as members of the church were conducting bible study.
She said: “We were in church around 16:00 hours attending bible study when I heard a thump on the roof which was followed by blue light which illuminated the room. I felt great pain in my legs, as I looked around, I saw smoke and people around me lying on the ground.”
Mabel Chinkhata, KCH deputy hospital director (Nursing), said in an interview that the hospital received eight people who had died on the spot and 64 that were injured, one of whom had been admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit (ICU).
