At least 16 killed as lightning strikes SDA church in Rwanda

Lightning flashes during a storm. At least 16 people were killed and dozens injured after lightning struck an SDA church in Rwanda on March 10, 2018. PHOTO | FILE | AFP

What you need to know:

  • 140 people were rushed to hospital, but many had been discharged.

KIGALI

At least 16 people were killed and dozens more injured after lightning struck a Seventh-Day Adventist church in Rwanda, a local official said Sunday.

Fourteen victims were killed on the spot as lightning hit the church in the Nyaruguru District in the Southern Province on Saturday, local mayor Habitegeko Francois told AFP over the phone.

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Two others died later from their injuries, he said.

He added that 140 people involved in the incident had been rushed to hospital and district health centres, but many had already been discharged.

"Doctors say that only three of them are in critical condition but they are getting better," he said.

According to the mayor, a similar accident took place on Friday when lightning struck a group of 18 students, killing one of them.