Girl, 12, loses leg after hippo attack

DANGEROUS: Hippopotamus

A girl from Mohembo village in Shakawe area has this week had her right leg amputated following an attack by a hippo on the banks of the Okavango river this past Saturday.

Station Officer for Shakawe Police, Ogolotse Tampa, said the 12-year-old girl and her friend who is also her relative were attacked while they were fishing at the river.

“From what we were told, the girls were fishing and a hippo suddenly emerged, charged at them and cut quite a big chunk of flesh from the other girl’s leg,” explained Tampa.

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The other girl did not have any obvious injuries according to the police, but it appears she had internal injuries as she has since been admitted at the hospital as well.

“They were rushed to Gumare Primary Hospital, then transferred to Letsholathebe hospital in Maun where they were further transferred to Nyangabwe hospital where the other girl’s leg was amputated,” explained Tampa.

Both girls are standard five students at Mohembo primary school.

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