Lightning Strikes killed at least 36 people and critically injured 37 in several districts of Odisha Saturday. While some of the victims were working in the paddyfield, others had taken shelter under trees. This is the highest number of deaths due to lightning strikes in one day in the state.
Of the 36 dead, eight were from Bhadrak district, seven each from Balasore and Khurda districts, six from Mayurbhanj, two each from Jajpur and Sambalpur, and one each from Keonjhar, Nayagarh, Jharsuguda and Kendrapara districts, said office of the special relief commissioner.
In Balasore, two youths in Soro block died after being struck by lightning while they were working in the field. In Bhadrak, two persons were killed and two were seriously injured in Bisalapatta village of Bant block. All the victims were working in a paddyfield. In Keonjhar, a person died of lightning in Anandpur, while five people in Angarua village were injured. In Khurda, one person of Jamujhari village and four of Sundarpur village were killed, while eight people from Balipatapur village were critically injured. In Mayurbhanj’s Digidhar village, a girl died in a lighting strike.
On June 1, 17 people were struck dead by lightning as a thunderstorm raged in coastal districts of Kendrapara, Ganjam, Bhadrak and Bhubaneswar. From April 1 to June 23, Odisha had recorded 155 deaths due to lightning. Since last year, the state government listed lightning as state-specific disaster enabling the victims to get Rs 4 lakh as compensation as per Odisha Relief Code.
Of the 36 dead, eight were from Bhadrak district, seven each from Balasore and Khurda districts, six from Mayurbhanj, two each from Jajpur and Sambalpur, and one each from Keonjhar, Nayagarh, Jharsuguda and Kendrapara districts, said office of the special relief commissioner.
In Balasore, two youths in Soro block died after being struck by lightning while they were working in the field. In Bhadrak, two persons were killed and two were seriously injured in Bisalapatta village of Bant block. All the victims were working in a paddyfield. In Keonjhar, a person died of lightning in Anandpur, while five people in Angarua village were injured. In Khurda, one person of Jamujhari village and four of Sundarpur village were killed, while eight people from Balipatapur village were critically injured. In Mayurbhanj’s Digidhar village, a girl died in a lighting strike.
On June 1, 17 people were struck dead by lightning as a thunderstorm raged in coastal districts of Kendrapara, Ganjam, Bhadrak and Bhubaneswar. From April 1 to June 23, Odisha had recorded 155 deaths due to lightning. Since last year, the state government listed lightning as state-specific disaster enabling the victims to get Rs 4 lakh as compensation as per Odisha Relief Code.