A devastating lightning strike in the Hiiraan region on Sunday resulted in the tragic loss of 300 goats. The incident occurred in Teedaan village, under the Mahaas district, following heavy rains in the area over the past few days.
Ali Abdi Amin, also known as Ali Afey, the owner of the livestock, recounted the harrowing event, stating that the lightning struck one camp, leaving no survivors among the goats.
“There were 300 goats in the camp. The animals killed by lightning were all in one camp, and we were planning to move to other villages due to the rain as we had just left winter. It started raining at nine o’clock at night, and then the lightning struck. It happened in the goats’ camp, and we were all scared,” said Ali Afey.
Expressing the devastating impact on his family, Ali Afey mentioned that the lives of three families, totaling 40 people, depend on the livestock, and now the family has nothing left.
“Two families are living there, me and my son. We don’t have any other animals except the goats that were killed. We didn’t have camels and cows. We live with goats, but the goats are now gone,” he added.
The lightning strike adds to the woes of a region already grappling with the aftermath of El Nino-induced floods that began last August, displacing 1.2 million people. With the April-June Gu rainy season already underway in the country, the situation remains precarious. Since April 19th, the Gu rains have affected more than 124,150 people, resulting in 5,100 people being displaced and the deaths of seven children. Jubaland, Hirshabelle, and South West states are the most severely impacted.
