Dangerous Lightning Strikes Kill 8, Injure 2 in India

A severe lightning storm moving eastward through Odisha killed eight and injured two during the afternoon hours of 1 May. The below video powered by Earth Networks Total Lightning Network shows the path of the cloud-to-ground (yellow) and in-cloud (purple) lightning as it moved through the northeastern district of Odisha. Over 4,000 lightning strikes hit the region during a 12-hour period.

In Kalahandi district, lightning killed a man and critically injured his wife in Bhatakhamara village. In the same village, a girl and her father were also killed when lightning struck them.

Two other people died and another was injured from lightning strikes in Balasore district and another two people died in Ghantipada village of Kandhamal district. The last death was reported from Baguda village under Patnargarh block of Bolangir district.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, lightning kills more people in India than any other natural disaster like heat stroke, cyclones and floods. Odisha is one of the top three states for lightning accidents in India.