Lightning Deaths Keep Mounting in Yemen

Lightning strikes continue to claim lives in Yemen in line with the continued rainfall in different provinces nationwide. The latest lightning strike killed seven people Al-Luhiyah and Al-Zahra district in Al-Hodeida province to the west of Yemen.

The thunderbolt killed one man and six women, and three others sustained light injuries, according to local sources. Those injured were taken to a local hospital for treatment.

 Many lightning deaths go unreported in Yemen, especially in remote areas with limited media coverage and little government presence.

Sheba Intelligence published a report last month documenting hundreds of thunderbolt deaths and injuries in the previous four years. From 2020 until August of this year, 371 deaths and 165 injuries were reported. Most thunderbolts have struck houses in rural areas in several Yemeni provinces.

Scientific studies have shown that large buildings, erected according to building codes, provide significant protection to people inside them. According to the studies, such buildings are safe from thunderbolts if they are not in direct contact with the conducting paths of electrical, telephone, plumbing, and cable wiring.