Lightning claims nine lives in Odisha

Nine persons were killed and eight were critically injuries in Deogarh, Malkangiri and Nabarangpur districts in separate incidents after being struck by lightning on Sunday.

 In <g data-gr-id="28">Temera</g> village under Nabarangpur district’s Kosagumuda police station, two persons, Baidyanath Gouda (45) and Padmini Teli (35) died as lightning hit them while they were working on a paddy field. Two other persons injured in the incident were admitted at the Kosagumuda hospital.

Lightning killed <g data-gr-id="25">Debabati</g> Gond (17) and injured four others, <g data-gr-id="26">Buduni</g> Gond, Sabita Gond, Santi Gond and Basanti Majhi of Chanchala <g data-gr-id="27">Bedha</g> under the Umerkote police station. The injured were admitted at the Umerkote hospital. 

In Deogarh district, four persons were killed and another sustained injuries at Pendrakhol village due to lightning. The incident took place in the afternoon when the victims were returning home from a stone crusher.In Malkangiri district, two members of a family (father and a daughter) died and two others (a son and a daughter) were injured at Somanathaguda area.

Meanwhile, At least 20 people were killed after lightning struck different parts of Andhra Pradesh as heavy rain lashed the state on Sunday. The incidents occurred in Krishna, Guntur, East Godavari, Prakasam and Nellore districts. Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu announced <g data-gr-id="24">ex-gratia</g> of Rs 4 lakh to each of the victim killed in lightning.