A woman from Chirumanzu was fatally struck by a lightning bolt while her two-year-old son who was strapped on her back sustained severe stomach burns.
ZRP spokesperson in Midlands Province, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, was reported as saying Elisa Zhou (47), was coming from a church service on Sunday when she was struck by lightning.
The baby was then rescued from his mother’s body by passers-by and was ferried to Mvuma Hospital.
Meanwhile, in another lightning incident, a 27-year-old Lupane man and his three-year-old daughter died when they were struck by lightning on Sunday last week.
Evan Moyo (27) and Samantha Moyo from Ndimimbili Village under Chief Mabhikwa were seated in a kitchen hut when they were fatally struck by a lightning bolt.
Matabeleland North police confirmed the incident, saying the deceased were also in the company of Nomatter Moyo (23) who was seriously injured in the incident. Police said in a statement:
Moyo and his daughter (Samantha Moyo) were struck by lightning while inside the kitchen hut.
Moyo died instantly whilst his wife was seriously injured on the face and Samantha passed on whilst being transported to Gomoza Clinic.
The circumstances are that on Sunday around 5 PM, the deceased Moyo, his spouse, and his late daughter entered the kitchen hut for shelter since it was raining.
They were struck by a bolt of lightning while inside the kitchen and the hut caught fire.
Police said the incident was witnessed by the victims’ neighbours, Pison Moyo and Metivity Ncube who saw the kitchen in flames. The police said:
Upon arrival, Moyo and Ncube noticed that Nomatter Moyo had burns on her face while Samantha had burns all over her body and was still alive.
They also observed that Evans Moyo had been burnt all over his body and had already passed on.
Ncube and Moyo then went with Nomatter Moyo and Samantha Moyo to Gomoza Clinic using a donkey-drawn scotch cart, but Samantha Moyo passed on before they reached the clinic while the mother was referred to Saint Luke’s hospital for further management since she was critical.