Teenage Girl Killed by Lightning Strike in Mzimba

A 17-year-old girl, Mercy Phiri has been struck to death by a lightening at Khonsolo in the evening of February 18, 2024 in the district.

It has been established that Mercy Phiri (now deceased) on the fateful day went to her uncle’s house when thunderstorm began with heavy rainfall. Mercy stood at the corner of the house as she was scared of the lightening whist her cousins were seated, she then was electrocuted by a lightening and fell unconscious.

She was rushed to Khonsolo health centre where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The matter was reported at Jenda police who visited the scene and the hospital. Postmortem conducted has revealed that death was due to electrocution secondary to being struck by lightening.

Jenda police station wishes to remind members of the community that lightening accidents are naturally caused and it is wrong to associate it with witchcraft or blame it on any person, further it is against the law to charge anyone with witchcraft.

Mercy Phiri hailed from Chikumbu village Traditional Authority Khonsolo in Mzimba district.