Lightning: Kenya witnesses an increased number of accidents

Kenya is not located in the worst lightning zone of the African continent. Still, the keraunic level is high. Very sadly, the number of accidents and casualties keeps on increasing according to local reports:

• Lightning kills Rangwe woman, injures husband – Daily Nation
• Shock as lightning strikes footballer to death in Funyula – Daily Nation
• KCPE candidate killed by lightning – Daily Nation
• Two killed after lightning strikes in Homa Bay
• Lightning kills two children
• Lightning kills three family members in Tharaka Nithi
• Two killed, one hurt after lightning strikes in Molo
• Two people killed by lightning outside Nakuru church

Increased lightning accidents are due to several factors:

• the global warming leads to more violent climatic phenomenons, including lightning.
• the density of population is oncreasing
•  Kenya population lives in vast majority in rural areas (more than 70%). Those are more exposed to lightning compared to the urban population sheltered in buildings.

Systematic installation of lightning protection systems, including in rural areas with dedicated shelters, is the sole strategy to address this problem.