FIVE members of the same family in Gwembe district have died after being struck by lightning as they were in a crop field. And Government will provide logistics for the funeral and subsequent burial of the victims. The family members were seeking shelter in a makeshift structure in their field after it started raining but lightning killed all of them. Gwembe District Commissioner Justus Phiri and Southern Province Commissioner of Police Diamond Likashi confirmed the incident in separate interviews yesterday

Mr Likashi identified the victims as Ivone Manyengele, 21, her son Kezford Siapenya, 2, Nyanya Manyengele,15, Digital Manyengele, 15, and Dipark Manyengele, 19, all of Simulilika village in Chief Chipepo’s area. The incident happened on Sunday around 20:00 hours. It was reported to the police by Ben Mongolo, a member of Simulilika ward development committee.

Southern Province Minister Edify Hamukale described the death of the five as tragic. Dr Hamukale said Government is mourning with the people of Gwembe and will provide logistics for the funeral. “I want to urge farmers and families in general to avoid doing farming activities when it is raining or showing signs of lightning as this increases the risk of such incidents.

This is very sad,” he said. And Mr Phiri [district commissioner] thanked the provincial administration for providing logistical support for the funeral and subsequent burial of the lightning victims. “We are saddened by the death of five members of the same family. We were all excited to see showers but it’s unfortunate that Lightning kills 5 family members our friends died in the process,” he said. There has been lightning in different parts of the country since the beginning of the 2019/2020 rainy season which has killed human beings and animals.

Recently, lightning struck a cattle kraal and killed 49 animals, some of which belonged to 91-year-old farmer Malombokwa Mbulai, of Limulunga district in Western Province. The incident happened around 16:00 hours. Last week, five people died while three others survived after they were struck by lightning in Chienge district in Luapula Province. According to the police, investigations revealed that the victims belonged to Chilondo Football Club, commonly called ‘Barcelona’.

The soccer players were hired to cultivate a piece of land to raise funds. “Before they finished working, it started raining and eight players went to seek refuge under a mango tree where lightning struck and killed five on the spot,” the police said. Recently, the Zambia Meteorological Department advised members of the public against staying in open places when it is raining to avoid being struck by lightning. Zambia Meteorological Department director Edson Nkonde said a house is a safe place to be in during a thunderstorm as long as one avoids anything which is a good conductor of electricity.