Nor’wester kills nine in western Odisha

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar: At least nine persons were killed in boat capsize and other mishaps when a severe nor’wester lashed Jharsuguda and Bargarh districts of western Odisha on Saturday evening.The nor’wester that hit the region killed as many as seven persons, including five in four boat mishaps in the Hirakud reservoir in Jharsuguda district, while a woman died in a boat tragedy in Bargarh district.According to official sources, most of the victims were fishermen as the disaster hit the region when they had gone out for fishing in country boats.Efforts were on to locate the two missing persons, sources said.A large number of trees were uprooted by the storm that affected areas in Sambalpur, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Deogarh districts.Meanwhile, the State government on Sunday announced ex-gratia to the tune of Rs.1.5 lakh each for next kin of the victims.