2 weeks Ago By Express News Service
BHUBANESWAR: At least two persons were killed while another sustained serious injuries as lightning and thunderstorm wreaked havoc in different parts of the state on Friday. A nor’wester also swept through twin city Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, uprooting trees and throwing life out of gear in multiple localities. As per reports, Jaga Barik, a middle-aged farmer died while his father Babula Barik sustained grave injuries in lightning strike in their field at Padmapur village within Balanga police limits of Puri district on Friday morning.
In Balasore, one Krushna Chandra Ghadai (41) from Jagannathpur village under Remuna police limits succumbed to lightning strike in his field in the afternoon, taking the toll in the state to three in the last 24 hours. On Thursday afternoon, a youth from Mahapada village in Balasore had also died after being struck by lightning while working in a prawn gheri. There, however, hasn’t been any official confirmation of these deaths from the government so far.
Early in the day, a nor’wester accompanied by lightning and heavy rain ripped through the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack region. A 13-year-old boy Sohan Digal sustained serious injuries during the Kalbaisakhi storm. Sources said Sohan fell on to an iron grill while retrieving clothes from his rooftop in IRC Village.
Fire station personnel nearby responded quickly and rushed him to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The boy has been admitted to pediatrics surgery ICU after successful surgery. His condition is stable now, AIIMS officials said.
Residents of the New AG Colony in Laxmi Sagar area of the capital city had a narrow escape after a large tree fell in the storm. Trees were also uprooted in Old Town, Chintamaniswar, Nayapalli and Gajapati Nagar causing a road blockade for hours. The strong winds also snapped electric wires, leading to power outage in the affected areas of the city for a brief period.
Caught unaware by the sudden spell, office-goers and commuters were seen taking shelter under overbridges at Rasulgarh, Jayadev Vihar and Raj Mahal square. Arterial roads including the Jayadev Vihar stretch and other low-lying areas of the city even faced waterlogging following the heavy thundershower. The nor’wester rain also affected parts of Cuttack and its adjoining areas, where several trees were uprooted, disrupting road communication.
Fire Services officials, who swung into immediate action, said at least 15 emergency teams were deployed in Bhubaneswar for road clearance and electricity restoration. Similar tree-cutting and road clearance operations were also undertaken in Cuttack and adjoining Athagarh, they said. Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre director Manorama Mohanty said the capital city received around 26.
2 mm rainfall in the morning. The wind speeds reached up to 60 kmph in parts of the city. Met officials said, light to moderate rain and thundershower activities are likely to continue in parts of Odisha, especially in the southern districts till April 21.
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