One person was killed by lightning during a heavy downpour which also destroyed a school in Ngoma District on Monday.

The deceased was identified as Aline Akimpaye, 28, a resident of Kigina Sector in Kirehe District. Local leaders said the rainstorm took the villagers by surprise.

Kirehe mayor Protais Murayire said the rain that lasted for about 30 minutes was accompaigned by thunder and lightning.

Murayire said the district is prone to lightning and that more than five people have been struck by lightning in the recent past.

Also destroyed by Monday’s downpour was Gahurire Secondary School in Ngoma District whose roof was blown off but nobody was injured. 

By yesterday, the school and district administration were struggling to re-fix the roof to allow continuation of studies.

Alfred Niyonsenga, 56, feared the district had started experiencing the effects of climate change.

"The rain was a great surprise…nobody expected heavy rains in June. This must be the effect of climate change,” he said.