Lightning claims two lives in Odisha

Bargarh/Malkangiri: At least two persons were killed and two injured in separate lightning strike incidents during Nor'wester rains that lashed Bargarh and Malkangiri districts on Saturday.

A youth, identified as Ashok Thapa, was killed as lightning struck when he was outside his home at Kuntulipali village in Bargarh.

In another incident, a woman and her son and daughter were injured in lightning strike while they were sitting on the 'veranda' of their house in Talagamudaput village under Khairiput block in Malkangiri.

Following the incident, the trio was rushed to the nearby hospital where the minor girl succumbed. The deceased has been identified as Babuli Pujari, a class 9 student.

Earlier, the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar on Saturday had issued an alert for thunderstorm and Nor’wester rains accompanied by wind with speed reaching up to 50 -60 km per hour would occur at several places in the State.