Lightning kills four people in Kitwe’s Riverside area.


FOUR people in Kitwe, including a 15-year-old pupil, have died after being struck by lightning in Riverside area.
The four had sought shelter in an incomplete building on Jambo Drive during a heavy downpour on Monday when lightning struck them dead.
Copperbelt police chief Joyce Kasosa yesterday confirmed the incident which happened around 17:00 hours.
Ms Kasosa said among the deceased was Alice Mwape, 15, a pupil from Riverside Extension.
She named the other victims as Lewis Nkole, 34, a carpenter from Ipusukilo Township, and Mushamba Lavena, 23, of an unknown address. The fourth person was yet to be identified.
Ms Kasosa said one other person identified as Chrispin Mulenga, 25, survived the lightning strike.
She said the bodies of the four were taken to Kitwe Central Hospital (KCH) mortuary.
Meanwhile, more than 10 families of Kawama Township in Kitwe have been left homeless after their houses collapsed following heavy rain.
The houses located in Kawama’s KCC and Kachema areas collapsed on Monday night due to heavy rain and wind.
A Times reporter who visited the area yesterday found that a number of houses had their roofs blown off while others had partially collapsed.
One of the victims, Catherine Mbwisa said a number of families in the township had been left homeless and had gone to look for alternative accommodation.
Ms Mbwisa said in interview that she was left with no option but to put a tent around her collapsed house to prevent property from further damage.
Ms Mbwisa further appealed for urgent help from well-wishers.
Chimwemwe Member of Parliament Mwenya Musenge and Kitwe District Commissioner Elias Kamanga said they had not received any report on the houses that had collapsed.
Meanwhile, Ms Kasosa said an unidentified pedestrian aged between 65 and 70 years died after being run over by a bus belonging to Chambishi Copper Smelter.
The accident occurred on Independence Avenue in Kitwe yesterday as the man was trying to cross the road.
Ms Kasosa said the pedestrian sustained a deep cut in the head, bruised hands as well as suspected internal injuries. She said the man died upon arrival at KCH.
The driver of the bus, Timothy Shonga of Ndeke Township was detained and charged with causing death by dangerous driving.
In another incident, a teacher identified as Peter Chongo was yesterday found murdered in Chililabombwe.
Ms Kasosa and Chililabombwe District Commissioner Stuart Chitumbo both confirmed the incident in separate interviews.
Ms Kasosa said the deceased, a teacher at Ming’ombo Primary School, was in the early hours of yesterday found dead with a deep cut at the back of his head.
She said police had instituted investigations into the matter.