Daily WTF
In Pakistan last week, at least 11 people died and 100 were injured... not in a suicide bombing, not in a storm... at a Kite-Flying Festival.
"The deaths and injuries were caused by stray bullets, sharpened kite-strings, electrocution and people falling off rooftops yesterday at the conclusion of the two-day Basant festival, said Ruqia Bano, spokeswoman for emergency service in the city of Lahore."
Apparently kite-flying is murderously competitive in Pakistan. Some participants use strings made of metal wire, while others coat the strings with broken glass to cut the strings of other kites. Obviously, a glass-encrusted kite string whipping across your neck would do some damage, as would an entanglement of metal string with power line. I don't know the purpose of the stray bullets, but they're always good for some kind of injury.
I'm beginning to understand why the Taliban outlawed kite-flying in Afghanistan.
"The deaths and injuries were caused by stray bullets, sharpened kite-strings, electrocution and people falling off rooftops yesterday at the conclusion of the two-day Basant festival, said Ruqia Bano, spokeswoman for emergency service in the city of Lahore."
Apparently kite-flying is murderously competitive in Pakistan. Some participants use strings made of metal wire, while others coat the strings with broken glass to cut the strings of other kites. Obviously, a glass-encrusted kite string whipping across your neck would do some damage, as would an entanglement of metal string with power line. I don't know the purpose of the stray bullets, but they're always good for some kind of injury.
I'm beginning to understand why the Taliban outlawed kite-flying in Afghanistan.
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