By Swift Reporter
A family of six was wiped out in a devastating overnight lightning strike in Maracha District, with four children among those killed after their grass-thatched home caught fire during a heavy downpour.
The tragedy occurred in Oleba Town Council between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. on Saturday, when lightning struck the family’s house, triggering a fire that left none of the occupants alive.
The victims were identified as 37-year-old Amandu Geoffrey, his 31-year-old wife, Enyaru Harriet, and their four children Desire Patience, 9, Lekuru Jovia, 7, Ayikoru Blessing, 5, and one-year-old Martha Gelida.
Maracha District Police Commander Taban Swaib confirmed the incident, saying police responded to the scene shortly after the disaster.
“It’s true it happened this morning between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m. during rain with thunder and lightning that torched a grass-thatched house carrying six family members,” Taban said.
He said all six occupants perished in the ensuing fire.
Police surgeons were dispatched to the scene, where postmortem examinations were conducted before the bodies were handed over to relatives for burial.
The tragedy has once again raised concerns over the dangers posed by lightning during Uganda’s rainy seasons, particularly in rural communities where many homes and public buildings lack adequate lightning protection systems.
As relatives and residents grapple with the loss, police have cautioned the community against turning to superstition or blaming individuals for the deaths.
Taban urged residents to treat the incident as a natural disaster and avoid accusations that could further deepen tensions within the community.
“It is a natural disaster that happens, and we need to be careful with how we handle it. We shouldn’t attribute this to anyone,” he warned.
The Maracha tragedy adds to a long list of deadly lightning incidents reported across northern Uganda.
In late 2024, lightning struck a church in Lamwo District, killing 14 people, most of them children. In 2020, a lightning strike in neighboring Arua District killed 10 children who had sought shelter during a storm.
The recurring disasters have renewed calls from local leaders for stronger government intervention, including the installation of lightning conductors on schools, churches, homes and other vulnerable structures.
For the residents of Oleba, however, Saturday’s storm has left behind a much deeper wound, an entire family lost in a matter of moments.
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