Bhubaneswar: At least six persons, including two minors, were killed in separate incidents of lightning strikes in different parts of the state Monday.
Two minors boys, identified as Purnananda Bhoi (10) and Ishwar Bhoi (13), died after being struck by thunderbolt at Odinga village under Belpada police limits in Balangir district while the duo had gone to pick mangoes fallen during the rain. Villagers later recovered their half-charred bodies were recovered from the spot.
Similarly, a youth was killed in lightning strike at Bankel village of Titlagarh in Balangir district.
The third incident was reported from Sundargarh district, where a woman died after being hit by lightning at Kalsiria village. She was outdoors when the Nor’wester-triggered rain and lightning accompanied by heavy wind swept the area.
Similarly, a man was killed at Sanamaheswar village under Kharial police limits in Nuapada district due to lightning strike.
In another incident, a villager died as he was struck by lightning. He was on his way back home, walking, from work at Dunguripali village in Sonepur district.
On the other hand, at least eight people were injured after tree branches fell on two houses at Dantaribahala village in Deogarh district. The victims were admitted to a hospital. Several shops at a local weekly market were also badly damaged in the storm.
The strong winds, which lasted nearly an hour, blew away roofs of several thatched houses, uprooted trees and snapped power lines, plunging many areas into darkness.
The regional meteorological centre in Bhubaneswar issued Sunday a thunderstorm and lightning warning for 12 districts of the state. The alert has been sounded for Deogarh, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Ganjam, Gajapati, Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Jagatsinghpur and Jharsuguda till 8pm Monday.
