Ugandan authorities on Sunday confirmed that at least fourteen people, including women and children were killed by lightning strike in a refugee camp in Nothern Uganda.
Reports indicate that that the unidentified victims were residents of the Palabek settlement camp, which primarily houses people displaced from South Sudan.
The victims, were believed to have been attending a prayer service in a makeshift metallic structure when the lightning struck on Sunday.
The camp is on the Uganda side of the country’s border with South Sudan, and houses around 80,000 people.
Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke said 34 other people were injured and have been admitted to health centres in the area.
Meanwhile, South Sudan has been significantly affected by the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The war, which erupted in April 2023, has led to a humanitarian crisis that has forced thousands of Sudanese to seek refuge in neighboring countries like Uganda.
