News / National
Lightning strikes woman at bus stop
15 Dec 2017 at 05:28hrs | Views
A26-YEAR-OLD died on the spot after a bolt of lightning struck her while she waited for transport to her home at a bus stop in Filabusi.
Sukoluhle Mkandla of Mahole area under Chief Ndube was killed by the lightning bolt which struck her just before it rained at around 3PM on Tuesday.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the incident.
"I can confirm we received a report of death by lightning. The woman was struck while at a bus stop and she died on the spot," she said.
A vendor at the Marvel Business Centre, Pretty Moyo said the woman held her handbag and a few groceries while she waited for transport to her home in Mahole area.
"It was cloudy and just before it started raining; lightning struck once and killed her instantly. It was a scary incident which I couldn't even look at. I saw smoke coming from her.
"She was unfortunate, maybe it's because she stood where there was no shade or tree. I have never seen lightning strike a person until yesterday, and I will ensure utmost safety from now onwards," she said.
Her body was taken to Filabusi District Hospital.
A house belonging to Monga Nyoni (67) in Gariya Village in Mpanedziba area in Tsholotsho was also reduced to ashes by lightning last week.
He lost property worth thousands of dollars.
On November 25, a 65-year-old man died in Bulawayo's Nkulumane suburb after he was struck by lightning following a hailstorm that swept through the city and some districts across many parts of the country.
The senior citizen died on the spot when a bolt of lightning struck him and a shovel that he carried in his hand.
The hailstorms that occurred throughout that particular day left a trail of destruction at several homes.
Two more people, a 53-year-old man and a 10-year-old boy died while 15 others were hospitalised in Mangwe District following these hailstorms which hit the area on that same day, destroying several homesteads in that district.
Sukoluhle Mkandla of Mahole area under Chief Ndube was killed by the lightning bolt which struck her just before it rained at around 3PM on Tuesday.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the incident.
"I can confirm we received a report of death by lightning. The woman was struck while at a bus stop and she died on the spot," she said.
A vendor at the Marvel Business Centre, Pretty Moyo said the woman held her handbag and a few groceries while she waited for transport to her home in Mahole area.
"It was cloudy and just before it started raining; lightning struck once and killed her instantly. It was a scary incident which I couldn't even look at. I saw smoke coming from her.
"She was unfortunate, maybe it's because she stood where there was no shade or tree. I have never seen lightning strike a person until yesterday, and I will ensure utmost safety from now onwards," she said.
A house belonging to Monga Nyoni (67) in Gariya Village in Mpanedziba area in Tsholotsho was also reduced to ashes by lightning last week.
He lost property worth thousands of dollars.
On November 25, a 65-year-old man died in Bulawayo's Nkulumane suburb after he was struck by lightning following a hailstorm that swept through the city and some districts across many parts of the country.
The senior citizen died on the spot when a bolt of lightning struck him and a shovel that he carried in his hand.
The hailstorms that occurred throughout that particular day left a trail of destruction at several homes.
Two more people, a 53-year-old man and a 10-year-old boy died while 15 others were hospitalised in Mangwe District following these hailstorms which hit the area on that same day, destroying several homesteads in that district.
Source - bmetro
