Bhubaneswar: Amid the ongoing thunderstorm activity, several people died and several others were injured in separate lightning strike incidents across Odisha on Friday.
In Koraput, three persons, including a woman and her granddaughter, were killed when lightning struck a thatched hut near a paddy field at Pardiguda village under Laxmipur block, where they had taken shelter after thunderstorm lashed the area in the afternoon. The victims have been identified as Budri Mandinga (60), Kasa Mandinga (16), and Ambika Kashi (35). Five others in the hut also sustained injuries.
In Dhenkanal, a woman identified as Surushi Bishwal (40) died after being struck by lightning at Kusumundia village under Dashipur panchayat.
In Ganjam, a Class VII student, Om Prakash Pradhan, died in lightning strike at Barida village under Kabisuryanagar tehsil. Another death has been reported from Belaguntha where a 23-year-old young woman was struck by lightning while collecting mangoes from an orchard.
In Gajapati, a woman died in a lightning strike while removing bricks from a tractor at Mohana.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had issued red warning of thunderstorm accompanied by hail and gusty surface wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph, lightning, moderate to intense spell of rain for some parts of Koraput, Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh, Jajpur, Balasore and Ganjam districts between 3.15 pm and 6.15 pm.
Thunderstorm/lightning, accompanied by gusty surface wind speed reaching 50-60 kmph and light to moderate rain was also expected in some parts of Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Rayagada, Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Jharsuguda, Bargarh, Bhadrak, Balangir, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Angul, Dhenkanal & Boudh during this period.
The weather has warned of thunderstorm activity along with lightning and gusty surface winds may continue in Odisha till May 19.
