Bhubaneswar: At least two persons were killed, 67 others injured and over 600 houses damaged due to rain, thunderstorms and lightning in separate places across Odisha, officials said on Saturday. Two persons died due to lightning strikes in Ganjam and Puri districts on Saturday and 67 people were injured after being hit by hailstorm in Mayurbhanj district. Seven of them were hospitalised in Mayurbhanj district headquarters hospital.

A report from Ganjam said rain, accompanied by thunderstorm and lightning, lashed several areas in the district. The unseasonal rain caused waterlogging at several areas in Berhampur. A Class 10 student died on Saturday due to the lightning near Narayanpur in Patrapur block of Ganjam district. The deceased was identified as Rajesh Kumar Goud (15). He was returning from Bamakei to his home when the lightning struck him and he died on the spot. A report from Puri district said Manoj Kumar Nayak (23) died on Saturday due to lightning strike at Gobardhanpur village. He, along with his parents, had gone to the paddy paddy field to drain excess water caused by the heavy rains. Around 600 houses were damaged due to hailstorm in Mayurbhanj district. The district administration has launched relief and rehabilitation operations in Bisoi and Bangiriposi blocks, the two worst-hit blocks of Mayurbhanj, District Collector Hema Kanta Say told reporters.

“Bisoi and Bangiriposi blocks have been severely hit in the hailstorm. While 350 houses were completely damaged, 250 other dwelling units have been partially affected by the hailstorm that hit the area. As many as 18 villages under Bisoi and 39 villages of Bangiriposi block have been affected,” the District Collector said, adding that the administration has launched relief and rehabilitation operations in both the blocks. He said the people who have lost their houses are being provided with polythene sheets, cooked and dry food as per the norms.

Odisha Urban Development Minister Krushna Chandra Mahapatra undertook a visit to Bisoi and said: “The damage was massive as many people have lost their houses in the hailstorm. Chief Minister is aware of the incidents and the people will get compensation within two days.”

Apart from Mayurbhanj, reports of damage to houses were also received from Keonjhar, Nabarangpur and Nuapada districts which have been hit by hailstorms, lightning and rains.

Hailstorms created havoc in at least four districts. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday forecast thunderstorms, lightning and gusty wind likely to lash several parts of Odisha during the next three days.

Meanwhile, Fire personnel rescued a 54-year-old visually challenged woman from the slum area in Subudhi Colony in Berhampur when rain and drain water entered the area. “While other people came out from their houses when the water entered their houses, the woman could not come out. After getting information, our staff rushed to the area and rescued her,” said Thakur Prasad Dalei, Fire Officer, Berhampur. The rain water also entered the MKCG Medical College Hospital in Berhampur causing inconvenience

to patients.