Ten female students of Panyango secondary school in Pakwach district are nursing injuries after lightning struck their dormitory on Sunday night.
The incident occurred at around 10 p.m., sending panic across the school community. The victims were first rushed to Pakia health centre II in Panyango sub-county for first aid before being transferred to Pakwach health centre IV for specialized care.
John Williams Opar, the LC1 chairperson of Angaba village in Padoch parish, said he received a distress call from a parent early Monday morning.
According to the school’s director of studies, Collins Kumakech, the strike hit a newly constructed girls’ dormitory.
Kumakech said eight students were struck directly by the lightning, while two others collapsed from shock, bringing the number admitted to ten. He issued a public notice assuring parents that the students were stable and expected to be discharged soon.
However, during a hospital visit, some students were still bedridden, while others could only move with support from a female teacher who has been attending to them.
Pakwach district senior probation and welfare officer, Cleration Acelle, urged schools and public institutions to install lightning arrestors. He also advised residents to take precautions during storms, including wearing shoes indoors and keeping windows and doors closed.
Health worker Betty Oaikani of Pakwach HCIII Mission, who has previously cautioned against the dangers of lightning, reiterated earlier advice to switch off electronic devices such as phones, radios, and televisions during thunderstorms. Lightning has claimed lives in Pakwach in the past. In June last year, one person died and two others were injured in Pajobi South Cell, Pakwach town council.
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