Lightning strikes claimed 1,472 lives in state in 5 years: Odisha minister

Lightning strikes have claimed 1,472 lives and left 145 people injured in Odisha in the last five years, state Revenue & Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi told the Odisha assembly on Wednesday.

Replying to a query by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, the minister said the state government had declared lightning as a disaster in June 2015.

An ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh each has been paid to the next of kin of those killed in lightning strikes in accordance with state disaster response fund guidelines, he said.

Similarly, a compensation of Rs 2.50 lakh is being provided to any person in case he or she loses an eye (s) or any other organ leading to a disability of more than 60 per cent due to a lightning strike, he added.

If the disability is between 40 per cent and 60 per cent, the compensation amount is Rs 74,000, he said.

The government has also made a provision for a compensation of Rs 16,000 if a person requires hospitalisation for more than a week due to a lightning strike.

Moreover, Rs 5,400 is provided to a person injured in lightning and hospitalised for less than a week, the minister informed the assembly.