CM announces Rs 4L ex-gratia for kin of lightning victims

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. Photograph: Odishabytes

Bhubaneswar: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday expressed grief at the death of 18 persons in lightning strikes across the state the previous day and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each to the next of the kin of the deceased.
The announcement was made through a tweet from the Chief Minister’s official handle.
On Sunday, five people were killed in Bhadrak, four in Balasore, three in Kendrapada, two in Mayurbhanj and one each in Keonjhar, Angul, Sundergarh and Ganjam districts. Those who died on the spot were reportedly working in fields.
Meanwhile, the regional centre of India Meteorological Department here has forecast heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorm in three districts of Odisha.
“Latest doppler weather radar and satellite imageries indicate that thunderstorm with heavy rainfall likely to occur at one or two places over the districts Mayurbhanj, Khurda and Puri between 3 pm and 7 pm,” an IMD release said.