As per the Officials, deadly lightning strikes in Odisha resulted in nine deaths across the state on August 17. 20 others have also been severely injured. Among the deceased was a minor boy, the Officials informed. The fatalities reported in connection to the lightning strikes are from the following places: two each from Mayurbhanj and Bhadrak and one each from Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack and Ganjam districts of Odisha.

In Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district, lightning killed a tribal couple. Lachhman Murmu and his wife Sakar Murmu were busy doing paddy transplantation work when they ran to seek shelter, the officials said. They died on their way as lightning struck them. In Bhadrak district as well, farmers Amar Sethi and Hemant Barik got killed while working in their fields due to lightning. A 13-year-old minor boy from Keonjhar named Rajesh Munda also died in a tragic lightning incident. Additionally, 12 other people were reportedly injured in Bargarh, out of which four are in serious condition and undergoing treatment.

Odisha’s Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief over the unnatural deaths caused due to lightning. He has announced ex-gratia amount of Rs 4 lakh each to be given to the deceased’s families. CM Majhi also announced free treatment for all injured and prayed for their speedy recovery.

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Recent other lightning-related deaths

According to a data released by Climate Resilient Observing-Systems Promotion Council, Odisha witnessed a total number of 10,741 lightning-related deaths in last five years. Three women died while working in their paddy fields and seven others were injured in Chattisgarh’s Jashpur district due to lightning strikes as per reports, on August 17. A 20-year-old farmer was also killed on August 16 by lightning while returning home from his agriculture field at Nandupa village in Asifabad mandal.