2 Killed, 2 Critical In Lightning Strikes In Odisha’s Balasore & Mayurbhanj

Bhubaneswar: Two persons were killed and as many sustained critical burns in separate lightning strike incidents in Odisha’s Balasore and Mayurbhanj districts on Monday.

In Balasore district, a youth, identified as Ranjan Pramanik of Tukurihajira village under Bhograi block died after being hit by lightning strike, sources said.

As per information, Ranjan was working at prawn farming pond when it started raining heavily. He took shelter in a thatched structure near his pond when lighting struck him.

While Ranjan was charred to death on the spot, another person reportedly sustained burn injuries. The house was also damaged in the lightning strike.

In another incident in Mayurbhanj district, one person was killed and his wife critically injured after being hit by lightning strike at Manik Sahi village under the jurisdiction of Mahulidiha police station in the morning.

The deceased, identified as Baidhar Samad, had was trying to save his wife who had to fetch clothes put outside the house for drying when lightning struck. While the man was killed, his wife sustained critical injuries.

It may be noted here that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued orange warning about thunderstorm and lightning accompanied with gusty surface wind speed reaching 30 to 40kmph in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, and Bhadrak districts in the morning.