At least 10 people were killed in lightning strikes in six districts of Odisha. While four were killed in Khurda district, two in Bolangir and one each in Angul, Boudh, Jagatsinghpur and Dhenkanal, office of the special relief commissioner said, reports PTI.
Three persons in Khurda were also injured in lightning strikes that occurred on Saturday, it said.
The coastal region of Odisha, including the twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, witnessed heavy rain with lightning strikes, with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting a similar situation in several parts of the state in the next four days.
A cyclonic circulation has activated the monsoon which caused heavy rainfall across the state, the statement said.
The twin cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack recorded 126 mm and 95.8 mm of rainfall respectively during a 90-minute spell in the afternoon.
The state recorded 36,597 CC (cloud to cloud) lightning and 25,753 CG (cloud to ground) lightning in the afternoon, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) said on X, formerly Twitter.
The Met department has advised people to take shelter in safe places during thunderstorm activity.
On Friday, seven persons including four students and two teachers were injured in lightning strikes in Nirakarpur and Dalaka areas of Khordha, reports Odisha TV.