An 85-year-old woman from Iseke village in the Zambezi Region’s Katima Rural Constituency has been left homeless after lightning struck her home during the early hours of Monday morning.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight while the elderly resident, Kahundu Kahale, and her grandchild were asleep. According to Kahale, the lightning bolt hit her house and quickly ignited a fire that spread through the entire courtyard, reducing all her belongings to ashes.
the devastated Kahale described the terrifying experience and appealed for government assistance to rebuild her life.
“The government should help me; there is no way I will get back all the belongings I bought. I do not have a house to sleep in now. I will not be able to squeeze myself into my daughter’s house because it is too small,” she said.
The fire left Kahale with nothing but the clothes she was wearing, and community members have expressed concern about her living conditions, especially given her advanced age.
Local leaders in the Katima Rural Constituency are reportedly assessing the damage and are expected to coordinate with disaster response teams to provide emergency aid.
Lightning-related incidents are common in the Zambezi Region during the rainy season, and residents have been urged to take precautions to minimize the risk of such tragedies.
