Lightning bolt kills 4, injures 8

THREE men and a young woman lost their lives while eight were left injured after a lightning bolt struck their home on Friday, January 26, 1963.

Three of the deaths were at Nawaqadamu, about 30 miles South of Nadi and one was at Yavuna, about 20 miles East of Nadi.

Eight others suffered shock when the lightning bolt struck Nawaqadamu.

Those killed were: Esaia Vurulo, 30, married, of Nawaqadamu; Alipate Tomasi, 40, single, of Nawaqadamu; Melaiya Navudi, 17, single, of Nawaqadamu; and Saiasi Kiano, of Yavuna.

According to The Fiji Times’ article, between 9pm and 10pm on Friday, Esaia and members of his family and relatives were sitting in Esaia’s bure at Nawaqadamu, when the lightning bolt struck.

All were thrown to the ground and became unconscious.

Aporosa Dreve and Samuela Cava were first to regain consciousness, and they saw the bure burning. They pulled the others out of the bure, but were unable to save any belongings (worth 20 pounds) or the bure (worth 30 pounds).

The district medical officer, Western, the AMO, Nadi and a police party went to Nawaqadamu on Saturday, the next morning. They treated the survivors for shock, and made post-mortem examinations of the dead people.

“These examinations revealed that lightning caused the deaths,” reported The Fiji Times.

“Alipate Tomu and Esaia Vurulo were brothers, and Melaiya was a niece of Esaia.”

The injured were: Siteri Nalu, 30, wife of Esaia; Toriki Luvu, 8, daughter of Esaia; Isikeli Naitoko, 4, son of Esaia; Vikavoko, 1, daughter of Esaia; Samuela Cava, 56, father-in-law of Esaia; Senimili Seke, 46, mother-in-law of Esaia; Merelita Cavu, 13, sister-in-law of Esaia; and Aporosa Dreve, 49, cousin of Esaia

“Isikeli in addition to suffering shock, also suffered slight burns on his right thigh. After medical treatment they were allowed to remain at Nawaqadamu. Saiasi Kaino was working in a field about one mile from his village with his brother Sairusi Senivono on a Friday afternoon and finished about 6.30pm. Sairusi then went to a nearby house leaving Saiasi to put the bullocks away. At the time it was raining heavily and there were flashes of lightning.

Next morning, Saiasi’s body was found about 5.30, about half a mile from his house, in a field belonging to Mohammed Yusuf,” described the newspaper article.

Saiasi was badly burned along the back, and there were bruises on his arms and legs. A post-mortem examination revealed that shock from lightning caused his death.