Intense thunderstorms hit Odisha, India, leaving 2 dead, 67 injured and over 600 homes damaged
Severe thunderstorms brought heavy rain and destructive hail to Odisha, India, on Saturday, March 22, 2025, leaving at least two dead and 67 injured across multiple districts. The storm caused significant damage to infrastructure and crops, displacing many residents and raising concerns about food insecurity for local farmers ahead of the harsh summer months.
Roof damaged by Kalbaisakhi and hailstorm in Mayurbhanj, Odisha on Saturday, March 22, 2025. Image credit: DM_Mayurbhanj
Severe thunderstorms accompanied by destructive hail and heavy rain swept across Odisha last weekend, leaving two people dead, 67 injured, and damaging over 600 homes across the state.
The weather event was caused by a type of localized storm known as Kalbaisakhi, common in eastern and northeastern India during the summer months. Also referred to as a Nor’wester, Kalbaisakhi is known for producing sudden, violent storms with strong winds, lightning, and hail across parts of India and Bangladesh.
Two people died due to lightning strikes in Ganjam and Puri districts on Saturday, while 67 others were injured by a hailstorm in Mayurbhanj district. Although the initial reports stated 40 injuries, the numbers rose as more people began reporting damage and injuries late Saturday.
Seven of the injured were in serious condition and were admitted to the district headquarters hospital in Mayurbhanj. Approximately 600 houses were damaged due to the hailstorm in the district.
In many areas, including Ganjam district, heavy rain from the storm caused waterlogging, especially in parts of Berhampur town.
A Class 10 student died on Saturday after being struck by lightning near Narayanpur in Patrapur block of Ganjam district. He was returning home from Bamakei when the incident occurred.
A man in Puri district died on Saturday after being struck by lightning while helping his parents drain rainwater from a paddy field in Gobardhanpur village.
Relief and rehabilitation operations have been launched in the Bisoi and Bangiriposhi blocks, the two worst-affected areas in the Mayurbhanj district, according to District Collector Hema Kanta Say.
In the Bisoi block of Mayurbhanj district, severe hailstorms caused significant crop damage.
A local who wished to remain anonymous described the aftermath of the storm. “I was passing through Khadambeda when I saw hail had destroyed the tiles on top of many kutcha houses in the area,” he said. “I saw a few homes that either had their roof completely blown off or had a wall that had collapsed”
“I could see the damaged vegetable crops with some farmer trying to gather and save whatever was left of their crops, I could see cows and goats eating the damaged crops in the small fields of the area.”
Locally grown crops of brinjal, cabbage and other vegetables along with paddy was severely damaged by the storm’s impact. Most of these farmers cultivate small plots of land and such crop damage could lead to significant financial and food insecurity during the harsh summer months in the region.
The storm caused extensive damage across Mayurbhanj district on Saturday, with the blocks of Bangiriposhi, Bisoi, Kuliana, Sarasakana, and Karanjia among the hardest hit. Over 400 houses were damaged across 19 panchayats, leaving many families without shelter.
Heavy hail also devastated large swathes of standing crops throughout the district. In Khadambeda village, one of the worst-affected areas, several acres of farmland were severely damaged.
According to local reports, the unseasonal storm and hail damaged large portions of paddy fields, as well as vegetables such as brinjal, cabbage, tomatoes, and other green produce. In more than 15 villages across Bisoi block, farmers reportedly suffered significant losses, with standing crops either crushed by hailstones or uprooted by strong winds.
Odisha Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari conducted an on-site assessment on Sunday of the damage caused by the recent Kalbaisakhi storm in Bangiriposhi, Mayurbhanj district. During his visit, he assured affected residents that they would receive full financial compensation for their losses.
Speaking to the media in Baripada, Minister Pujari confirmed that the damage assessment report had been finalized and that compensation funds would be transferred online by the evening. He stated that those without Aadhaar-linked bank accounts would receive compensation through direct cash transfers.
The Indian Meteorological Department has issued a Yellow Watch for thunderstorms and strong winds for nearly the entire east Odisha, extending from Mayurbhanj district in the north to the Gajapathi district in the south.
References:
1 Kalbaisakhi destruction in Odisha: Minister reviews situation, assures immediate compensation – OTV – March 23, 2025
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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