A violent storm struck the commune of Anjoma Nandihizana, in the Manandriana district, the day before yesterday afternoon, leaving behind a heavy toll in terms of human lives and property. Lightning claimed the lives of a mother and her son, while their home was reduced to ashes. The father, the sole survivor of the household, remains deeply traumatized by the tragedy. The victim, in her forties, passed away alongside her 10-year-old son. Both bodies are to be buried today, according to the schedule set by the family.
It was on Saturday, between approximately 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM, that a particularly violent storm hit the locality. Lightning struck the house directly where the three family members were located, all of whom suffered severe burns.
“The mother and her son were the most severely affected, to the point of being completely charred. The father suffered burns to his hands,” reported Joro Lahatra, technical advisor to the Vice President of the National Assembly in Fianarantsoa. Despite being rushed to a medical center, the mother and child could not be saved.
The house, a large thatched-roof building slightly isolated from other homes in the area, was completely destroyed by the flames, taking with it all the belongings inside. The toll further increased with the loss of two oxen, two pigs, and a sheep.
While lightning most often strikes during precipitation, it can also occur in dry weather, a phenomenon known as “dry lightning.” According to a technician from the meteorological forecasting center, these phenomena remain particularly frequent in the Malagasy Highlands, notably in the Bongolava, Haute Matsiatra, and Amoron’i Mania regions.
Captured & Published at: 2026-09-28 06:09:16 (Madagascar Local Time EAT)
Original Source: https://www.lexpress.mg/2026/09/manandriana-la-foudre-incendie-une.html