Bunia, DR Congo – Five children were killed and 13 wounded on Monday after lightning struck a school in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, officials said.
Lightning hit a primary school in the morning the village of Bukiringi, in Ituri province, as children were cleaning their classroom, local administrative official Roger Adirodu told AFP.
Two girls and three boys were killed in the incident, according to him, while 13 other children were wounded.
The victims were aged between five and 13 years old, Adirodu said.
Robert Ndjalonga, a local government official dealing with civil protection, confirmed the death toll to AFP.
Ituri is plagued by natural disasters during rainy season, Ndjalonga said, with schools and other buildings often destroyed.