A 20-year-old male student of the Hilla Liman Senior High School at Gwollu in the Sissala West District of the Upper West Region has been killed by lightning.
According to a report by the Ghana News Agency, the incident occurred on Wednesday during heavy rain.
The deceased student identified as Master Daana Gbene Mustapha was a student of General Arts 2E who hails from Kulfuo in the Sissala East District, the agency said.
“At about 17:00 GMT on Wednesday when it started raining, the late student was seen in the rain rushing to the dormitory from the classroom when the lightning struck, burning the attire he wore and the rubber bucket he held; killing him instantly,” GNA quoted a source in the Hilla Liman SHS as having recounted.
Aside from the deceased, one other female student Amadu Zenab also in the General Arts 3A, who was in the dormitory during the rains, got electrocuted and fainted.
She was admitted to the Gwollu Government Hospital where she is reported to be responding to treatment.
Dr. Yawson Prince Etornam, the Medical Director of the Gwollu Hospital, who confirmed the death to the GNA, attributed it to “the shock caused by the lightning, which led to the irregular heartbeat of the deceased and eventually cardiac arrest.”
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in that part of the country.
A few months ago, a rainstorm destroyed property including structures in the Gwollu township with some dormitories and school facilities of the Hilla Liman Senior High School affected.
Interestingly, authorities of the school have reportedly declined to comment on the latest incident.
