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Lightning kills 40 in eastern Indian state

Xinhua, July 31, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least 40 people were killed and 35 others injured, some of them critically Saturday due to lightning across India's eastern state of Odisha, India's state-run broadcaster - All India Radio (AIR) said.

The lightening struck during the day in Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Khurda, Cuttack Keonjhar, Nayagarh, Jajpur, Kendrapara and Puri districts.

"Eight deaths were reported each from Bhadrak and Balasore districts, while five from Mayurbhanj and Khurda districts and four from Cuttack district," the broadcaster said. "The rest of the fatalities were reported from other affected districts."

Officials said most of casualties were reported from agricultural fields as people were busy sowing paddy seedlings, when the lightning hit them.

The injured according to officials were immediately removed to the nearest medical facilities, where condition of some of them was stated to be critical.

The state's Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has expressed solidarity with the victim families and directed his officials to provide compensation to the families.

According to AIR, lightning claims more human lives than any other natural disaster in Odisha. More than 1500 people have died due to lightning strikes across Odisha in last five years, the broadcaster said.

As per India's National Crime Records Bureau at least 2,000 people have died in lightning strikes in India every year since 2005. Endit