Africa-Press – Angola. Five heads of cattle died after being hit by an atmospheric electrical discharge in the commune of Maka-Mombolo, municipality of Balombo, province of Benguela.
According to information from the Balombo Municipal Administration, the animals died at the weekend, when they were returning from pasture and were hit by an electrical discharge, caused by the heavy rains that fell in the Maka-Mombolo commune.
It is the first time that a case of its kind has occurred in that district, which aroused enormous curiosity among the community and local authorities, attracting many onlookers to the place where the animals perished.
However, the province of Benguela has already recorded a similar case in October 2023, in the municipal headquarters of Ganda, when an electrical discharge killed 19 head of cattle.
To mitigate the damage, the Municipal Administration of Ganda delivered, in March this year, the first 12 heads of cattle to three farmers affected by the loss of their animals due to electrical discharge.
According to the municipal administrator of Ganda, Francisco Prata, 50 heads of cattle were purchased to alleviate the difficulties of farmers who lost their animals due to this phenomenon.
According to the administrator, the initiative stems from the Integrated Program for Local Development and Combating Hunger and Poverty, with a view to enabling families to continue with activities that guarantee their self-sustenance.
Lightning rod
In reaction, the director of the Provincial Office of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, José Gomes da Silva, points to the installation of lightning rods as a solution to prevent the loss of cattle, as it is the basis of sustainability for many communities in the interior.
For the person responsible, the loss of cattle affects the income of breeders, which is why lightning rods must be installed, aiming to protect both people and animals.
Concerned firefighters
The spokesperson for the Civil Protection and Fire Service (SPCB) in the province of Benguela, fire inspector Jorge David, also reports human losses due to electrical discharges.
According to the source, the most ridiculous case occurred at the beginning of March, when ten people, including eight from the same family, died from electrical shocks in the municipalities of Chongoroi, Balombo and Ganda.
The provinces of Benguela, Bié and Huambo stand out in terms of electrical discharges, a phenomenon that has caused concern in the country due to the death of people and animals.
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