[01/July/2009]

RAIMA, July 01 (Saba) – At least four people have been killed and three others were wounded when a lightning struck a house in northwest Yemen.

The accident took place late Tuesday in the Bani Ahmed village, the al-Gafaria district, Raima province.

Heavy rains hit the area accompanied by lightning and thunders that killed Mohammed Ahmed Mahdi, 17, Jawahir Ahmed Mahdi, 22, Ali Saleh Mahdi, 13, and Ibrahim Mohammed Ahmed Saleh, 37.

The wounded were rushed to a hospital.

Police director in the area said the province witnessed a large number of lightning accidents killing people and livestock and causing other damages to the people's properties.

About 80 Yemeni people die annually in lightning.

Early last month, two people were killed and eight others were injured when lightening struck them in Yemen's southern province of Dhale.


The eight injured suffered burns and were taken to a hospital.

Lightning was said to directly hit the people and homes in the province.

Lightning also injured two other people while they were grazing goats. 15 goats were killed then.

Last year, seven people were reported killed in Taiz in lightning which struck in the Maqbana district.
During the last few months, heavy rains swept cross many parts of the republic claiming lives and leaving hectares of lands under water.

More than a dozen people were reported dead after floodwaters washed them. And dozens were wounded.

Last year, Yemen experienced a flood tragedy in which more than 90 people were killed and over 2000 houses were totally destroyed.

Heavy rains fell almost in various parts of the republic with the eastern provinces of Hadramout and Mahara most affected.

Yemen then received support from friend countries to rebuild the flood-hit areas.

FR
Saba