Baripada, Sept. 16: Six persons, including four women, died today and seven others suffered injuries when lightning struck a rest shed where they had taken shelter.

The incident happened at Udala in Mayurbhanj district. The injured included four college girls. The victims were standing under a concrete shed to escape a heavy downpour. It has been raining incessantly in the area.

The incident took place around 11.15am in Udala’s Khunta block, about 25km from the district headquarters town of Baripada and about 1.5km from Khunta market. The district collector, Rajesh Prabhkar Patil, said: “A team of officers have been sent to the spot.”

Local MP Ramchandra Hansdah, too, rushed to the spot.

“The next of kin of the deceased persons will get an ex-gratia payment according to the government guidelines and the injured will be provided free treatment by the government,” he said.

The deceased were labourers working in a paddy field. They are Sambari Singh, 65, of Astapura village, her daughter Basanti Tudu, 40, and granddaughter Sambari Tudu,15, of Kandalia and her elder sister Mini Murmu, 67, of Sahadgadichha. The others who died are Shyamlal Marandi, 40, of Badasatsol and Hussen Hansda, 65, of Bhadradihi village. Hussen died on the way to Baripada headquarters hospital. Among the injured, 45-year-old Durga Hembram, 45, of Astapura village has been shifted to Baripada for treatment while the others are being treated at the local government health centre.

The college girls who survived and are undergoing treatment at the local health centre said a high-intensity light blinded them and it was followed by a big thunder. Before they could comprehend what was happening, the girls saw people strewn on the ground. It happened in a flash.

A local resident, Manas Rath, said: “Those who died were workers in the nearby paddy field. Since it was raining heavily, they were forced to take shelter under the shed. The four college girls who had also taken shelter were students of Bhanja Bhumi Mahavidyala. Minutes after the incident, local residents gathered at the spot and took them to the health centre.”

“One of the injured has been sent to the Baripada headquarters hospital and is the rest are undergoing treatment at the Khunta government hospital. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem to Udla Sub-Divisional Hospital,” said Khunta tehsildar Priyansu Chand.

“The government is paying Rs 2,000 under the Harish Chandra Yojana for their last rites,” he said.

District emergency officer Pallavi Nayak said: “Besides the Rs 2,000 for cremation, Rs 5,000 has been given to the next of kin of the deceased persons from the Red Cross. The next of kin of the deceased will also receive Rs 1.5 lakh from the relief fund. After today’s incident, the number of deaths by lightning in the district has risen to 27 this year,” she said.