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Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
TWO girls were killed while two others were burnt after separate lightning strikes in Lupane and Tsholotsho.
Matabeleland North acting provincial spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Eglon Nkala confirmed the deaths. The Tsholotsho girl was 12 years old while the one from Lupane was seven.
“I can confirm two girls died after they were struck by a lightning bolt, one in Tsholotsho and the other in Lupane. In Tsholotsho a lightning bolt struck at around 2 PM, while in Lupane the incident occurred at around 4 PM.
“Post mortem was done on both bodies and no foul play is suspected,” said Asst Insp Nkala.
Chief Mabhikwa of Lupane said the girl who was killed by lightning in his area was in the company of two others aged 11 and 13 years who are in hospital after they suffered burns.
He said the three girls were herding donkeys in the playgrounds of Somhlanga Primary School when it started raining.
“One of the girls, the seven year old, was struck by lightning and she died on the spot. The other two managed to walk back home and reported the matter to their mother, Miss Sihle Dube,” said the chief.
Last month, four people were killed by lightning in Tsholotsho and Lupane while 10 others sustained severe burns.
Two of the people died on the spot during a ZCC church service.
Eight other church members were rushed to St Luke’s Mission Hospital near Lupane after suffering burns.
A day before that incident, a woman and her two-year-old son were also killed by lightning in Tsholotsho.
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