Lightning claims 56 lives in Odisha in four days

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Aug 2:

With nature’s fury playing havoc in the state, lightning has claimed four more lives in Odisha today taking the toll to 56.

As many as four persons were killed in lightning strike across the state today. The deaths were reported from Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur and Bolangir districts.

While tragedy struck a youth from Deuliapatna village on the outskirts of capital city this afternoon, a man from Uttarabanki Gholapur village under Athagarh block in Cuttack district was killed while he had taken shelter under a tree to escape lightning.

This apart, a person from Balia Gopinathpur village in Jagatsinghpur district and an elderly person from Roda village under Agalpur block in Bolangir district were also killed in lightning strikes.

Forty one people died after being struck by lightning in various places on Saturday and as many as 11 deaths took place in the state on Sunday, Special Relief Commissioner’s (SRC) office said on Monday.

As Odisha government has declared lightning as a State Specific Disaster, the stage government would provide an amount of Rs four lakh as ex-gratia to the kin of each deceased.