27 killed in lightning strikes in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: At least 27 persons were killed after being struck by lightning in different parts of Odisha on Saturday, police said.

While the maximum number of eight deaths were reported from Bhadrak district, there were seven casualties in Balasore district, five in Khurda, three in Mayurbhanj and one each in Kendrapara, Jajpur, Keonjhar and Nayagarh, police said.

Expressing sorrow over the deaths, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the special relief commissioner (SRC) to immediately provide assistance to the bereaved families in accordance with the relief code, CM's office said in a statement.