Fallen power cable kills 26 in Congo-Kinshasa
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At least 26 people were killed on Wednesday in the outskirts of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo when a high-tension electric power cable was struck by lightning and fell to the ground near a marketplace. The country's energy provider, Société Nationale d'Électricité, said it happened during a severe storm and issued condolences to the victims' families. According to local media and police, the incident occurred in the Matadi-Kibala district and the electrocuted victims were mostly women working at the market. Prime Minister Jean-Mi
At least 26 people were killed on Wednesday in the outskirts of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo when a high-tension electric power cable was struck by lightning and fell to the ground near a marketplace.
The country's energy provider, Société Nationale d'Électricité, said it happened during a severe storm and issued condolences to the victims' families. According to local media and police, the incident occurred in the Matadi-Kibala district and the electrocuted victims were mostly women working at the market.
Prime Minister Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde said in a statement, "I share the immense pain of the families. My thoughts are also with all the injured." A spokesperson said the government was holding a crisis meeting about relocating the market.
The BBC quoted one merchant as saying rains often caused buyers and sellers at the market to wade through water.
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Licensed archive reporting by Wikinews contributors. Text: CC BY 2.5 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/). Original source date retained. 411 has not independently verified this archive report.
Read the source: Wikinews ↗Source published 4 Feb 2022, 05:30 am IST
