Odisha : Thunderstorm, lightning warning issued

Bhubaneswar, Aug 13 (IANS)   Thunderstorm and lightning warning for eight districts in Odisha issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday .

The IMD issued the warning for Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Ganjam and Rayagada. It alerted people in these districts to stay indoors and take shelter in buildings and other safe locations as a precautionary measure. 

Meanwhile, 1.5 lakh lightning awareness posters were distributed for generating awareness on lightning in the state, said an official in Special Relief Commissioner's office.

A total of 280 people, including 27 children, have lost their lives in Odisha after being struck by lightning since April this year, said the SRC office. 

Awareness generation was done through various regional TV channels and All India Radio (AIR) involving experts from IMD, Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) and the SRC office during July-August 2017, including live shows, it added.