lightning
A lightning strike has killed a man in Machinga district .

Police confirmed that Erick Idrissa aged 26 of Kambona Village, Traditional Authority Bwananyambi, Mangochi died suddenly after he was hit by lightning on Friday afternoon.

The deceased went to play football at Namasika Primary School Ground but soon after the match, heavy rains started accompanied by lightning.

He was hit by the lightning while rushing to seek shelter.


Postmortem results from Nainunje Health Centre revealed that the death was due to shock lightning.

His death comes after former Malawi President Bakili Muluzi's daughter, Esmie Muluzi Malisita, was last Monday struck dead by lightning, together with her close friend Hazel Busile in Blantyre.

The two were reportedly coming from garden in Blantyre when it started raining and they took shelter under a tree where lightning struck them.

Over 15 people died of lightning during the 2014/2015 rainy season in Malawi and in the worst scenario, 3 sisters aged between 9 and 18 were killed in Malawi's central region district of Kasungu.

In 2013, eight people were killed in Malawi capital, Lilongwe, after lightning struck a church building where they had gathered for prayers.