Lightning Strike Kills 16 Herd Of Cattle
A lightning bolt struck and killed 16 herd of cattle belonging to three families in Mbembesi 1, in Lupane East Constituency.
The lightning incident occurred last week on Thursday.
Kusile Rural District Councillor for Ward 23 Fibion Ngwenya said of the 16 beasts, 13 belonged to one family while two other families lost two and one respectively. Ngwenya said:
Yes, 16 cattle were struck dead by lightning in my ward. Thirteen of them belong to one person while another family had two and another one beast struck dead.
They went to see the carcasses and could not do anything because culturally they cannot be burnt which happens even when a tree is struck by lightning.
It is first cut and gathered together. So, they ended up digging a trench and burying them all.
Culturally, it is taboo to touch anything struck by lightning or burn it before some rituals are performed, reported the Chronicle.
The items can then be burnt or buried underground and it is believed that this prevents further lightning strikes.
Early this month, Evans Moyo (22) and his three-year-old daughter were struck dead by lightning while at home in Ndimimbili Village under Chief Mabhikwa, Lupane.
Moyo’s wife, Nomatter (23) was left with burns and she was treated at St Luke’s Hospital and discharged.
