According to the spokesperson for the Civil Protection and Fire Service, Jorge David, 11 people have already died this week due to lightning strikes on days of intense rain in the province, with victims recorded in the municipalities of Ganda and Chongoroi.
The administrator of Chongoroi, Ernesto Pinto, speaking to Rádio Nacional, said that eight people struck by lightning belonged to the same family, stressing that "no one survived in the same house".
This official added that a commission was created, which traveled to the location, stressing that the authorities are raising awareness among the population, explaining that "it is not known when these sparks will reach this or that house" and also warning them to, when there are storms, "no longer being under trees".
Speaking to the Lusa agency, the spokesperson for the Civil Protection and Fire Service, Wilson Baptista, recalled that there is a presidential decree that requires the installation of lightning rods in areas susceptible to these atmospheric electrical discharge phenomena, but this does not is fulfilled.
Wilson Baptista said that the only way to avoid these incidents "would be to install lightning rods on various perimeters of these territories, which are more inhabited areas".
"With this we would mitigate the effects of the phenomenon. Another issue has to do with the culture of the populations themselves, which, having knowledge, through the warnings issued by the competent bodies about the incidence of these phenomena, still do not take precautions, in order to maintain in safe places, especially when it rains, and have been victims of atmospheric electrical discharges", he said.
The person in charge highlighted that most of the victims happen on public roads, when walking, with few records of people inside their homes, which when it occurs has to do mainly with the use of electronic devices.
In Luanda, according to Wilson Baptista, most modern buildings are already equipped with lightning rods, but in the interior of the country this obligation is still not met.
"Here in Luanda we also have atmospheric electrical discharges, but there are many lightning rods set up," he said, highlighting that the central area of the country is the most affected, with some cases in the eastern area as well.
A presidential decree requires the installation of lightning protection systems in all public buildings and infrastructures (airports, ports, railways and roads), as well as in buildings over 25 meters high and commercial and industrial establishments over 500 meters high. square meters of built area.
