4 children killed after lightning hits elementary school in DR Congo

A lightning strike at an elementary school in western Democratic Republic of Congo killed four children and injured several others, according to local officials.

The strike occurred on Tuesday at Kano Primary School in the town of Masi-Manimba in Kwilu Province, according to Radio Top Congo. Officials said 12 students and a teacher were taken to Masi-Manimba General Hospital for emergency treatment.

Local officials said four of the children were pronounced dead at the hospital after medical teams were unable to revive them. The remaining students and the teacher are under medical observation, and no additional details about their conditions were released.

Lightning strikes can kill or injure multiple people when they hit crowded or exposed areas, and similar incidents have occurred in the United States in recent months.

In July, one person was killed and 13 others were injured when lightning struck an outdoor archery range in Jackson Township, New Jersey. In June, 20 people, including 12 children, were injured near the Lake Murray dam in Lexington County, South Carolina, after a lightning strike.