Bhubaneswar, Aug 2 (IANS) The death toll due to lightning strikes increased to 24 in Orissa with the state government confirming seven more deaths Tuesday.
While the seven people died across the state Tuesday, 17 others including six women were killed a day earlier when lightning struck different locations, an official of the control room of the special relief commissioner’s office told IANS.
The coastal district of Ganjam accounted for the highest – four – casualties Monday, he said.
Other deaths have been reported from the districts of Cuttack, Jharsuguda, Angul, Balasore, Khordha, Deogarh, Sundergarh, Bargarh, Kendrapada, and Jajpur.
State Revenue and Disaster Management Department Minister Surya Narayan Patro told IANS that the government will provide compensation of Rs.50,000 each from the chief minister’s relief fund to the kin of those who died due to the lightning strikes.
