Two people died and seven others sustained injuries after an African mahogany (M’bawa) tree fell on them at Zomba Central Hospital yesterday.
Eastern Region Police spokesperson Thomeck Nyaude identified the deceased as Austin Sandikonda (37) of Chiunda Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mlumbe who was cycling on the Zomba-Blantyre Road at the time of the accident and Kupila Magombo (70) of Somanje Village also in T/A Mlumbe in Zomba.
Nyaude said the accident happened at around 1pm. The fallen tree blocked the newly rehabilitated Zomba-Blantyre Road for two hours.
“The accident occurred at a time when people were returning from lunch [break],” he said.
The seven injured people are Margaret Willy, 20, of Nathikwa Village, AjdaTida, 24, of Masaula Village, Jennifer Pichesi, 36, all from T/A Mlumbe’s area; Agness Adam, 50, from ChilambeVllage, T/A Kuntumanje and MagadaleneMatemba, 44, of Mopiha Village, T/A Mwambo in Zomba, Eliza Matemba, 20, of Makwangwala Village, T/A Kaduya in Phalombe and EbianM,bwana, 37, of Mzinda Village, T/A Bwananyambi in Mangochi.
Zomba Central Hospital principal administrator Antonia Kamanga said the hospital premises have big old African mahogany trees.
This is the second incident to happen at the premise the first one being in 2012.
