The incident took place on January 4, 2026, at around 5:30 p.m. local time, in Jarama Sector near the Akagera wetland, close to the Burundi border.
The victims include farmers returning from their daily activities who had sought shelter from the rain in a building used by port guards along the Akagera River.
The lightning struck the shelter, killing nine people instantly. Six others were injured and experienced trauma.
Eastern Province Governor Prudence Rubingisa told the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency that this marked the first recorded incident of its kind in the area.
'This is the first time such an incident has happened here. We have requested experts to investigate potential causes, as the strike appeared unusually intense,' he said.
Rubingisa confirmed that local authorities swiftly initiated emergency response efforts.
'Of the 15 people affected, nine died at the scene, six were injured and others suffered psychological trauma. Local leaders have already launched support operations,' he added.
The bodies of the deceased were transferred to the mortuary at Kibungo Hospital, with burial arrangements being coordinated between Ngoma District authorities and the victims' families. The injured are receiving treatment.
Rwanda is among the countries affected by natural disasters. In 2023, disasters claimed at over 130 lives and destroyed more than 1,800 houses.
A 2024 disaster risk assessment report indicated that Rwanda has at least 326 locations that are vulnerable to natural hazards. Of these, 134 areas were identified as being at high risk.
Findings from the 2024 national climate change risk and vulnerability analysis further show that landslides and lightning strikes are among the deadliest natural disasters in the country.
Between 2016 and 2023, landslides killed 449 people, while lightning strikes claimed 379 lives over the same period.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/lightning-kills-nine-in-ngoma-district
