Katima Mulilo:The Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT) euthanized a sub-adult bull elephant on Monday after it critically injured a 38-year-old woman in Katima Mulilo earlier that morning.

According to NAMPA, the woman was on her way to work with her daughter at approximately 05h30 when the elephant attacked her near the MultiChoice building, truck weighbridge, and local MEFT office. MEFT spokesperson Vilho Hangula and Zambezi Regional Police Commander, Commissioner Julia Sakuwa-Neo, confirmed the incident.

The victim, who was leaving from the Makaravan West location in Katima Mulilo, encountered the elephant, which then chased and injured her severely. MEFT officials tracked the elephant to bushes between the Greenwell and Green Valley suburbs of Katima Mulilo and declared it a problem animal, subsequently putting it down due to the threat it posed to residents.

Commissioner Sakuwa-Neo reported that the elephant trampled the woman, resulting in multiple injuries to her thighs, arms, and shoulders. She is currently hospitalized in a critical but stable condition. The ministry expressed regret over the incident and wished the victim a speedy recovery.