CM Naveen announces Rs 4L ex-gratia for family of lightning victims

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced an ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh each for the families of 18 persons who were killed by lightning in different parts of the state on Sunday.

The announcement was made through a tweet from the Chief Minister's official handle.

CM @Naveen_Odisha expressed grief at death of 18 persons due to lightning strikes; announced ex-gratia ₹4 lakh each for kin of deceased

— CMO Odisha (@CMO_Odisha) July 31, 2017

A press release issued by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) today said the death toll was 18.

While five people were killed in Bhadrak, four got killed in Balasore, three in Kendrapara, two in Mayurbhanj and one each in Keonjhar, Angul, Sundergarh and Ganjam districts, sources at the CMO said.

Most of the victims were working in their fields when lightning struck them, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the IMD in a warning said, thunderstorm accompanied by lightning, was likely to occur in many parts of the state in the next 24 hours.