16 killed, 140 injured in lightning strike on Rwandan church

A Rwandan provincial governor says at least 16 people were killed and 140 others injured when lightning struck a church. Picture: Pexels

A Rwandan provincial governor says at least 16 people were killed and 140 others injured when lightning struck a church. Picture: Pexels

Published Mar 12, 2018

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Kigali — A Rwandan provincial governor says at least 16 people were killed and 140 others injured when lightning struck a Seventh Day Adventist church in the country's south.

Rose Mureshyankwano said 140 churchgoers were injured and rushed to a nearby hospital, where two are in serious condition.

Mureshyankwano said 17 of those injured are still in the hospital while the rest have been discharged.

Lightning strikes are frequent across Rwanda, which has many hills and mountains, and the country's police record a number of human and livestock deaths.

The governor said a similar incident occurred on Friday when lightning struck a group of 18 students, killing one. Last October, lightning killed 18 people in different parts of the country. 

Associated Press

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