lightning strikes in different parts of Odisha today claimed the lives of 16 people and left over a dozen injured, raising the toll in such incidents to 34 since yesterday.
Four persons were killed in separate incidents in Cuttack district today while three deaths each were reported from Sambalpur and Khurda districts. One each died in Puri, Mayurbhanj, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal and Bargarh districts, official sources said.
Eighteen people had died after being struck by lightning in the state yesterday, the sources said. Most of the victims were farm labourers who were engaged in paddy fields when lightning struck.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced ex- gratia of Rs four lakh each for the families of the 18 people.