Tragic Lightning Strikes Claim Lives in Odisha: What Happened?

Recent thunderstorms in Odisha have resulted in a tragic series of lightning strikes, claiming the lives of nine individuals, including six women. The incidents occurred across various districts, with families affected by the sudden and severe weather. As officials respond to the aftermath, financial assistance is being promised to the bereaved families. This article delves into the details of the incidents, the victims, and the weather warnings issued by the Indian Meteorological Department. Discover the full story behind this heartbreaking event.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 17, 2025, 10:45 IST

Severe Thunderstorms Lead to Fatal Lightning Incidents

Bhubaneswar: Recent thunderstorms in Odisha have resulted in the tragic deaths of at least nine individuals, including six women, due to lightning strikes, as reported by officials.

In Koraput district alone, three fatalities were recorded, while Jajpur and Ganjam districts each reported two deaths, and one person died in both Dhenkanal and Gajapati districts on Friday.

In a heartbreaking incident at Paridiguda village within the Laxmipur police jurisdiction, three women lost their lives, and an elderly man was severely injured when lightning struck their makeshift shelter during a storm.

The victims, all from the same family, had sought refuge in the hut while working in the fields amidst heavy rain and strong winds. The lightning strike claimed the lives of Brudhi Mandinga (60), her granddaughter Kasa Mandinga (18), and Ambika Kashi (35) from Kumbharguda village.

Hingu Mandinga, aged 65, was critically injured and has been admitted to the Lakshmipur Community Health Centre for treatment.

Officials from the District Emergency Office confirmed that financial aid will be extended to the families of the deceased in accordance with government protocols.

In Jajpur district, two boys, Tare Hembrum (15) and Tukulu Chattar (12) from Burusahi village, were killed by lightning while standing on the porch of a kuccha house during a storm.

The local police have sent their bodies for autopsy and have registered an unnatural death case as investigations continue.

In Ganjam district, a seventh-grade student named Om Prakash Pradhan was struck and killed by lightning in Barida village, while a 23-year-old woman died in a similar incident while gathering mangoes in Belaguntha.

In Dhenkanal, Surushi Bishwal (40) was also killed by lightning in Kusumundia village, and another woman died while unloading bricks from a tractor-trailer in Gajapati.

The Indian Meteorological Department had previously issued a 'red warning' for thunderstorms, indicating the possibility of lightning, hail, and wind speeds of 60 to 70 km/h across several districts, including Koraput, Cuttack, Khurda, Nayagarh, Jajpur, Balasore, and Ganjam.