Kisumu
  05/09/07
 
LIGHTNING EXPERT URGED THE GOVERNMENT TO INSTALL ARRESTORS IN PUBLIC BUILDINGS AS 21 DIE OF THUNDERBOLT STRICK IN WESTERN KENYA.

By Leo Odera Omolo

Within only one week at the beginning of short rains lightning has struck dead 21 people in different parts of Kenya, but mostly in Western part of the country.

Experts have urged the government to speed up the installation of lightning arrestors in the institutions, schools and public places as an urgent but emergency measure to protect many lives.

A lightning scientist Prof. Jalango Akello said the ongoing process was slow and should be hastened to stave off tragedies and natural calamities caused by thunderbolt.

Prof Akello who is a senior lecturer of Science and Technology at the Kakamega based Muliro University said at the weekend that the deaths experienced in parts of Western, Rift Valley and Nyanza Provinces also came about as a result of lack of information on protective measures.

Prof Akello asked the government to print more posters possibly in various vernacular languages enlightening people on the dangers of lightning.

Regions prone to lightning strikes are those areas lying along the North and south of the equator like the Kisii highland, South and Northern part of Nyanza and Northern and Southern part of the Rift Valley Provinces.

Three people were struck dead by lightning during late afternoon down pour in a village in Saboti Constituency on last Saturday. Saboti is in Trans-Nzoia district.

Three other people were seriously hurt. They were rushed to the district hospital at Kitale. The incident occurred during heavy rain at Teidet, which destroyed at least five houses and maize plantations. The thunderbolt also killed five cows.

The Trans-Nzoia District Commissioner Francis Mutie who confirmed the incident said the police had been sent to the area to assess the damage and take the bodies to the district hospital mortuary.

Nine people were killed last Friday when lightning struck different parts of Western Kenya. This is the largest figure of people killed in one day by lightning. In Kakamega district alone six people perished when lightning struck Ematia Baptism Church which is still under construction. The structure was not damaged.

The six, who included two children, were among a group of people who shielded themselves from a late afternoon down pour that pounded Munenga village in Ematia sub-location.

Three other victims were also struck dead in Mt. Elgon area on the same day almost at the same time simultaneously. The incident took place at Kisgun village, in the land clashes prone villages, where close to 200 people have also lost their lives in tribal clashes over the ownership of land in the past six months.

A woman and her child were also struck dead by lightning in Keroka area of Central Kisii district as she prepared the evening meal for her family. Her body and that of the three year old child were later taken to Kisii district hospital mortuary.

Similar incidents were reported from Bomet where a woman and her two children died when their family dwelling house was struck and set ablaze as they slept. Her husband and two other children escaped unhurt, but with minor burns.

In the Kakamega incident the area police John Mwinzi, the OCPD confirmed the name of the victims as Jafred Ingatia, Okoyana Omamo, Philip Furi, Benson Otuya, Moses Buheti and Isaya Jared. Mwinzi was among top government officials who visited the scene of the tragedy which occurred at 2 pm and left the entire village in a mourning mood.

The villagers were wondering why the house of God was struck by lightning. Similar incident occurred in Emuhaya in the neighbouring Vihiga district last year where nine people who had taken shelter in a church near Luanda town were struck dead by lightning. Luanda and Maseno towns stand right on the Equator and the area is prone to lightning. The short rains usually come with heavy storms and lightning.

A few years ago the Kenya government had initiated a crush programme of installing lightning arrestors in schools, public institutions in areas prone to lightning at least in Kisii region, Southern Nyanza, Western Province and in the lower parts of the Rift Valley Province but the project fizzled and stalled out after only few schools were places under protection.

Prof Akello was assigned details of carrying out the installation of lightning arrestors in public schools, hospitals and other institutions. But only a few institutions benefited from the project, mainly in Nyahera, Migori and Central Kisii district before the program was abandoned by the former KANU regime.

Ends.
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com