Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a weather warning for 20 districts of Odisha, including Cuttack and Khurda, till 5 pm on Friday.
Light to moderate thunderstorm/lightning with light to moderate rain and gusty surface wind speed 30-40 kmph may affect some parts of Koraput, Rayagada, Kandhamal, Boudh, Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Keonjhar, Mayurbhanj, Angul, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Cuttack, Khurda, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Deogarh, Nayagarh, Gajapati and Balasore in the next 2-3 hours.
People have been advised to keep a watch on the weather and move to safer places to protect themselves from lightning strikes.
Notably, a 10-year-old girl, Smruti Behera of Chuakhola village under Kundheigola police limits, died after being struck by lightning after Nor’wester ripped through Deogarh town and its surrounding three blocks on Wednesday evening.
The storm uprooted around 30 electric poles, mainly in Deogarh town and Tilebeni block villages, causing road blockages with fallen wires and debris, and disrupting power across the district. Kajol Munda and her four-year-old son Shivaraj were seriously injured when a tree fell on their home in Mirigidia Sahi, Deogarh town. Similarly, Sumant Liha from Nilberni Sahi sustained head injuries, and Jit Bhoj was hospitalised after being struck by lightning.
