5 killed in lightning strike in Odisha

5 killed in lightning strike in Odisha

In the latest burst of lightning, at least five persons including a woman and a minor boy were killed on Tuesday afternoon in separate incidents across Odisha’s Kendrapara district, the official sources said.

While three died in Garadpur block, Aul and Kendrapara blocks accounted for one fatality each due to lightning strike, said official sources.

All the ill-fated victims were engaged in farming activity when lightning struck them.

The bereaved family members of the deceased persons are being extended Rs 4 lakh ex-gratia aid each from Special Relief Commission’s gratuitous relief fund as lightning has been recognized as a State-specific disaster.

The ex-gratia payment will be paid after the submission of the post-mortem examination reports by the respective district administrations, said an official at the District Emergency office here.

Lightning accounts for almost one-third of the total number of disaster deaths including fire, sunstroke, hailstorm, flood, cyclone, boat capsize, drowning and snakebite in the State, added the official.