A Community Church base station, Radio Good News 89.0 FM is forced to shut down in Rumbek due to a lightning strike that hit their studios and damaged the equipment.
The Director of Good News Radio Majur Manyuat says the lightning strike burned the transmitter, mixers, and the communication system of the solar system, making it the second time that the radio station has been hit by lightning.
Manyuat explained the drizzling that happened on Friday last week in Rumbek caused lightning to hit the studios and left the listeners in darkness.
“It was on Friday morning at around 10:30 am when a rain accompanied by quick lightning hit our studios burning the transmitter, mixers, and the communication system of the solar system,” Manyuat narrated.
Majur said this is the second time the lightning is hitting the Radio are trying to design some concrete steps for reconstructing the studio, including buying a new transmitter and mixer and their possible installations. And rewiring the studios and possibly changing switches.
However, the process will take some time between periods of two to three months for the station to come back on the air.
According to Majur, the equipment for the Radio was imported from Europe and it is difficult to repair them once they get damaged.
The Acting Director also said the lightning arresters were now weak since they were installed 12 years ago during the inception of the Radio in 2010
The processes of designing a plan for reconstruction, which includes purchasing new equipment, rewiring the studios, and potentially upgrading switches are underway.
Radio Good News is part of Catholic Radio Network’s sisterly stations operating in Rumbek Catholic Diocese.