The Engineering Department in Gulu City says majority of buildings in the City lack lightning arrestors which poses a public safety risk to the occupants.
According to the Buildings Control Act, it is mandatory for building owners to install lightning protection systems particularly in high-lightning areas.
Christo Omara Balmoi, the City Engineer says the department intends to create awareness about the importance of lighting arrestors before enforcing the regulations in the Buildings Control Act.
Balmoi says the fact that the City has not registered any lightning incidents in the last three years, it is important for property owners to take precaution.
According to meteorological experts, lightning is highly common in the Acholi sub-region and across Northern Uganda due to a combination of tropical climate dynamics, unique geographical features, and increasing environmental changes.
Uganda as a whole has one of the highest lightning strike densities in the world, with an average of 70 strikes per square kilometer annually.
By Justine Muboka
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