Koraput: Cases of lightning casualties are on the rise in Koraput district. In the last five years, 65 people have lost their lives while 242 heads of cattle perished due to lightning strikes, a report said.
Environmentalists have blamed this on the increasing ecological imbalance in the district.
According to the district emergency department, nine people and 62 cattle died in lightning strikes in the district in 2015-16 while 27 people and 49 cattle died in 2016-17 and 2017-18.
In 2018-19, lightning struck 13 people and 46 cattle dead.
In 2019-20 till date, the district has reported deaths of 16 people and 83 cattle due to lightning.
Experts said that most deaths have taken place due to lack of precautionary measures by people.
District emergency officer Siddhartha Kumar Patnaik said more efforts will be made to reach out to people to make them aware of precautionary measures during rains and thunderstorms.
The district administration has been providing compensation to the bereaved families and the critically wounded people.
The IMD has been giving advance information about lightning and rainfall.
According to official reports, 1,256 lightning deaths were reported during the last three years in the state. Most of the deaths were reported in the months between May and September.
PNN