Heavy rain, thunderstorms, and hailstorms wreaked havoc across Odisha in the last 24 hours, leaving two people dead, 67 injured, and over 600 houses damaged, officials reported on Saturday.
According to authorities, two people lost their lives due to lightning strikes in Ganjam and Puri districts, while 67 others sustained injuries in Mayurbhanj district due to a severe hailstorm. Seven among the injured were in critical condition and were admitted to the Mayurbhanj district headquarters hospital.
Casualties and Property Damage
A Class 10 student, identified as Rajesh Kumar Goud, was struck by lightning near Narayanpur in Patrapur block of Ganjam district while returning home from Bamakei. He died on the spot. In Puri district, another victim, Manoj Kumar Nayak, lost his life when lightning struck him at Gobardhanpur village. He was helping his parents drain excess water from a paddy field when the incident occurred.
Mayurbhanj district was among the worst affected, with around 600 houses damaged by the hailstorm. District Collector Hema Kanta Say stated that Bisoi and Bangirposi blocks suffered the most damage. In these areas, 350 houses were completely destroyed, while 250 others were partially affected. A total of 18 villages in Bisoi and 39 villages in Bangirposi were impacted. Relief and rehabilitation efforts have been launched, with affected families receiving polythene sheets, cooked meals, and dry food as per government norms.
Odisha Urban Development Minister KC Mohapatra visited Bisoi and assessed the extensive damage. He assured affected residents that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was monitoring the situation and that compensation would be provided within two days.
Apart from Mayurbhanj, damage to houses was also reported from Keonjhar, Nabarangpur, and Nuapada districts due to hailstorms, lightning, and heavy rains.
Rescue Operations and Weather Forecast
In Ganjam district, fire personnel rescued a 54-year-old visually impaired woman from a slum in Subudhi Colony, Berhampur, after rainwater flooded her house. Berhampur’s MKCG Medical College Hospital was also affected by waterlogging, causing inconvenience to patients.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued warnings for further adverse weather conditions. An ‘orange’ warning was placed for Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Angul, Deogarh, and Sundargarh districts, forecasting thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds of 50-60 kmph in the next 24 hours.
Additionally, a ‘yellow’ warning was issued for Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Bargarh, Sonepur, Boudh, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Puri, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Koraput, and Malkangiri districts. These areas are likely to experience thunderstorms with lightning and surface wind speeds of 40-50 kmph within the next day.
The unseasonal rain and hailstorm have caused widespread distress in Odisha, with the state administration stepping up relief measures while closely monitoring the evolving weather conditions.
Sources By Agencies
