Lightning kills 22 students, 1 teacher in Uganda

Ugandan officials say 22 students and a teacher died after lightning struck their school in the country's midwest.

Ugandan officials say 22 students and a teacher died after lightning struck their school in the country's midwest.

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Local police spokeswoman Zura Ganyana said on Wednesday that 51 students between the ages of 7 and 16 were injured yesterday. She said the teacher who died was visiting the Runyanya primary school, about 160 miles (some 260 kilometers) west of Uganda's capital.

Zombo education official John Ojobi says another school 200 miles (some 320 kilometers) northwest of Kampala was also hit by lightning on Tuesday, injuring 37 students and two teachers.

Meteorology experts say school buildings are being hit because they don't have lightning conductors and are built on high ground.

In the past few weeks, lightning strikes around the country have killed at least 38 people.