lethal strike of lightning claimed as many as 15 human lives

Bhubaneswar: 30/7/17;The lethal strike of lightning claimed as many as 15 human lives today across the state bringing under focus the alarming rise in human casualties due to heavenly bolt.

It’s a tragic coincidence that on July 30 last year, Odisha had witnessed dance of lighting-induced death with lightning killing 46 people in a single day.

The coastal districts of Bhadrak, Balasore and Kendrapara recorded 12 deaths due to lightning strike while lightning claimed three lives in Angul, Sundargarh and Keonjhar districts.

The breakup of human causalities is three coastal districts is Bhadrak-5, Balasore-4 and Kendrapara-3.

As many as 2181 precious human lives have been lost since past five years following lightning strike. Lightning claims more human lives than any other natural disaster in the state. While 2538 persons died in natural calamities like fire, sunstroke, hailstorm, flood, cyclone, boat capsize, drowning and snakebite since 2011 year to 2017 May, lightning alone claimed 2181 human lives during the said period, according to the latest figures released by the special relief commissioner’s office.

The breakup of lighting deaths recording since past five years is 2011-12 year (352), 12-13 year (294), 13-14 year (372), 14-15 year (311), 15-16 year (413), 16-17 year (397), 17-18 year up to May (52), according to SCR office sources.

The government has bracketed lighting death as a form of natural calamity and is providing relief assistance of Rs 4 lakh to the family of lighting victim. The compensation is paid only after the postmortem report confirms the death as lightning-induced.

C