Lightning Strikes Claim 874 Lives in Odisha Over Past Two Years
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Bhubaneswar, Dec 5 (NationPress) A staggering 874 individuals have tragically lost their lives as a result of lightning strikes in Odisha over the past two years, spanning from 2022-23 to 2023-24.
The state's Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari, disclosed this information in the assembly on Thursday while responding to a question posed by MLA Ramesh Chandra Behera.
According to the minister's statement, the state reported a total of 306 fatalities due to lightning in the financial year 2022-23.
In the subsequent financial year, 272 individuals fell victim to lightning strikes in Odisha.
Among the districts, Mayurbhanj recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 81 deaths attributed to lightning over the past two years.
Additionally, Balasore and Ganjam districts reported 68 and 60 deaths respectively during this timeframe.
In response to another inquiry, Pujari further disclosed that 201 individuals have died from lightning strikes in the current financial year, 2024-25.
He also noted that 77 of the deceased have received ex-gratia compensation from the state government in the ongoing financial year.
The Revenue Minister also informed the assembly that lightning strikes have been classified as a state-specific disaster since April 1, 2015.
Families of those who have lost their lives due to lightning strikes are entitled to Rs 4 lakh in ex-gratia assistance from the state government.
It is important to highlight that Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Ganjam districts are identified as the most lightning-prone areas in the state.
Each of these districts has witnessed over 200,000 lightning strikes in the last five years.
Remarkably, an average of 600,000 to 700,000 lightning strikes have been recorded annually across all 30 districts of Odisha from 2019 to 2024.
Odisha stands out as one of the few states in the country with a high number of fatalities due to thunderstorms.
To mitigate the loss of lives from lightning, the state government is planning to plant approximately 1.9 million palm trees throughout Odisha in 2024-25, with an estimated expenditure of Rs 7 crore for this initiative.
