A 32-year-old man identified as Joseph Okenya was killed by a lightning strike in the Eastern Equatoria State capital, Torit Town, over the weekend during a heavy downpour while he herded goats under a neem tree.
Achuil Chol, the area chief of Hai Islak in Torit Town, told Radio Tamazuj that the incident happened at around 3 p.m. and that Okenya was pronounced dead when he was rushed to Torit State Hospital.
“The man who was struck by lightning was from Hai Islak and called Joseph Okenya. He was 32 years old and was taking his goats for grazing between Hai Neem and the SSPDF Headquarters at around 3 p.m.,” he narrated. “It started raining, and very unfortunately, he was under a tree, and lightning struck him, and he fell. An ambulance came and took him to the hospital, but the doctors said he was already dead and there was nothing they could do.”
For his part, Torit Municipal Council Mayor Oyito Baptist Ben confirmed the incident and said the body of the deceased was taken to his home in Hai Islak for burial.
“The deceased was taking care of his goats, and it started raining heavily. When the rain reduced slightly, lightning struck the boy,” he stated. “He was rushed to the hospital, but it was found that he was dead and the body was taken for burial.”
Meanwhile, Changa Thomas, a health worker at Torit State Hospital, urged citizens to install lightning arrestors and conductors on their buildings to mitigate lightning damage and save lives.
“The patient who was struck by lightning died on the spot. Clouds have poles or charges, both negative and positive poles, so if these negative and positive poles meet, it causes lightning strikes,” he said, and advised: “We have what we call lightning conductors fixed on top of houses to arrest lightning as the only preventive method.”