Mahakalpada: In a shocking incident, a young engineer was killed after being struck by lightning in Kendrapara district Sunday night.
He was talking over his mobile phone when the mishap took place.
The deceased has been identified as Nandlal Mandal (24) of Betabelari village of Baulakani panchayat under Jambu Marine Police Station.
It was when Nor’wester rain lashed Mahakalpada block Sunday night, Nandlal was at a prawn gheri (enclosure). Under the impact of the gale, huge trees and electric poles were uprooted, tin and asbestos roofs were blown away. Around this time, Nandlal was busy speaking with someone over his mobile phone. The lightning struck him, killing him on the spot.
The Nor’wester rain also unleashed havoc in Patna area of Keonjhar district Sunday afternoon. Unable to withstand the wind, huge trees were uprooted and roofs were blown away at Neualapasi village under Patna block. However, no casualties were reported.
Notably, lightning claimed 200 lives in Odisha in the year 2019-20. During the same year, India reported 1, 771 deaths caused by this natural disaster, making it the fourth worst natural disaster in the country.
PNN