BHUBANESWAR: At least 14 persons, including four women, were killed and ten injured in lightning at different places in four districts of Odisha on Friday.
While seven persons have been reported dead in Balasore and five in Mayurbhanj, one each in Khurda and Kendrapara district died in the mishap. The places experienced heavy rainfall soon after the lightning struck.
In most of the cases, the mishap took place when the victims were working in paddy fields. Official sources said the death toll is considered to be the highest on a day this year after June 8 when 10 persons were killed and eight injured in six districts in the State.
Reports from Balasore district indicated that one elderly woman from Singakhunta village under Soro police limits, one each from Sikharpur and Raibania villages under Jaleswar police limits, two from Barunagadia under Basta police limits and one each from Maheswarpur under Sadar police limits and Narayanpur under Baliapal police limits have died of lightning.
The first incident was reported from Barunagadia where lightning struck on two youths who were working in the paddy field. Five persons hurt in lightning have been admitted in the District Headquarters Hospital.
In Mayurbhanj district, five persons including three women were killed and three others injured after being struck by lightning. The injured included a Class X girl student and two women.
The deceased have been identified as Laxman Murmu (42) of Srirampur village, Rajendra Behera (48) of Chundiha village, Kuni Mohanta (16), Susila Rana Rana (55) of Maheshpur village and Sharam Mohanta (55) of Sunahajar village.
Sources said Kuni was struck by lightning while she was returning home after grazing cattle and others fell victims to the disaster while working in paddy fields.
Similarly, one from Manikpur village in Khurda district and one from Rajnagar area of Kendrapara district also were killed. As per the norms, the next of kin of deceased will be provided ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each.
For the last three years, Odisha has reported on an average 400 lightning deaths every year. Perturbed over growing lightning deaths, the State Government is developing a mobile app to disseminate early warning at least 45 minutes prior to possible lightning strikes.