A bolt of lightning on Tuesday afternoon struck and killed an SSPDF soldier who doubled as a military medical worker identified as Amarbak Aguer, 55, at the Sherikat Military Barracks in Torit Town, Eastern Equatoria State.
According to the local authorities, the lightning struck during a drizzle that lasted less than fifteen minutes after a dry spell that lasted more than three months. The bolt of lightning also burnt the soldier’s house with the belongings inside.
Michael Obusuk, the sub chief in the Morwari suburb of Torit Town told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that the incident occurred at 3:30 p.m. and the deceased soldier’s body was thrown out of the house by the lightning strike.
“There was a drizzle around the military barracks and a bolt of lightning struck a soldier dead inside his house. The lightning burned everything in the house and threw the soldier out of the house where he died,” he said. “He was a Dinka who hailed from Bahr el Ghazal and was called Amarbak Aguer. He is survived by a wife and two children. The incident happened at 3:30 p.m. when he was alone inside the house.”
“The deceased was a surgeon and this is the first time such a thing has happened in our area,” Obusuk added.
For his part, the commander of SSPDF’s Brigade 3 which is stationed in Torit Town, Brigadier General Mariano Oholong Odungo, confirmed the incident, expressed sadness, and attributed it to the long drought in the state.
“It happened a few minutes ago today (Tuesday) afternoon here at Sherikat. Lightning killed a soldier who had just entered inside his house when it was drizzling,” the commander explained. “As soon as he entered the house, his wife moved out and the lightning struck, killing the soldier and burning the house. Everything in the house got burnt except the mattress.”
“This could have happened due to the dry spell that has lasted for nearly three months,” Gen. Oholong added.