On Sunday afternoon, a dark cloud hovered over Rwamuyora village in Nyarurambi parish Muko Sub County, Rubanda District in western Uganda, moments before lightning struck and killed a 35-year-old father and his two sons as they sought refuge in their house.
Mr Elly Maate, the police spokesman for the Kigezi region, said on Monday that Ambrose Kanunu and his sons, Justus Asiimwe, 7, and Arnold Habomugisha, 5, were killed around 3 p.m. as rain pounded their village and other parts of the district for about an hour.
According to police, Kanunu’s wife, Allen Uwimana, 32, survived because she was in the kitchen of a separate house preparing meals.
Mr Patrick Abenimwe, chairman of Muko Sub County LCIII, said the Sunday heavy rain also ravaged several gardens and caused landslides that blocked several roads in his area.
“As we mourn the loss of the deceased family head and his two children, we are also requesting relief assistance for those whose crop gardens were destroyed,” Mr Abenimwe said on Monday.
Mr Pastoli Twinomuhangi, a former district councillor for Muko sub-county and former Rubanda district vice chairman, said the unfortunate incident was extremely rare, having never occurred in the area in the last 40 years.
“We have been hearing of lightning striking people in the garden, in the farm grazing animals but never heard of lightning striking and killing people resting in their own house.
“We pray for God’s mercy on the people of Rubanda district, particularly on the woman who survived,” Mr Twinomuhangi said. Mr Josam Sande, the head teacher of Bwindi Primary School, stated that the deceased children were primary students at his school.
