Bhubaneswar: At least nine persons were killed and several others were injured in separate incidents of lightning strikes as nor’wester rains lashed several districts of Odisha today.

A woman and her granddaughter (son’s daughter) among three persons died after lightning struck them Pardiguda village under Laxmipur block in Koraput district. Five others were injured in the incident.

The deceased has been identified as Budri Mandinga (60), her granddaughter Kasa Mandinga (16) and Ambika Kashi (35) of the village.

According to the villagers, the trio along with five others took shelter in a thatched hut near a paddy field as thunderstorm lashed the locality in the afternoon. They died on the spot after lightning struck the thatched hut during the nor-wester rain.   

Two minor boys were killed in lightning strike at Jenapur in Jajpur district, reports said.  

Similarly, two lightning deaths were reported from Ganjam district and one each from Gajapati and Dhenkanal district. However, the identities of the deceased persons are yet to be known.