Odisha: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari informed the State Assembly on Thursday, through a written response, that 416 people lost their lives in fire incidents across Odisha over the past three years. Data from the Odisha Culture Blog reveals that 192 people died in fire-related incidents throughout Odisha during the year 2022-23. In the subsequent years, this figure gradually declined; 118 deaths were recorded in 2023-24, and 106 in 2024-25. This indicates a slow but steady improvement in the reduction of fire-related fatalities.
In addition to the loss of life, data shared in the Assembly also revealed that fire incidents across the state over the last three years resulted in property damage amounting to ₹27.84 crore.
The Revenue and Disaster Management Minister further informed the Assembly that during the last two years—2023-24 and 2024-25—a total of 6,578 people lost their lives in the state due to natural calamities such as snakebites, lightning strikes, and drowning.
The State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari, provided this information in a written reply submitted to the Odisha Assembly on Thursday.
According to the data, 2,006 deaths caused by drowning were recorded across various local bodies within the state during 2023-24. In the financial year 2024-25, the number of drowning-related deaths decreased slightly to 1,854.
Official data indicates that drowning remained the leading cause of disaster-related fatalities in Odisha, while deaths caused by lightning strikes witnessed an increase in 2024-25.
The number of deaths caused by lightning strikes across various parts of Odisha rose from 286 in 2023-24 to 314 in 2024-25. Furthermore, data revealed that there has also been a significant decline in deaths caused by snakebites in the state; this figure dropped from 1,147 in 2023–24 to 971 in 2024–25. Odisha has consistently ranked among the Indian states with the highest number of snakebite-related deaths, highlighting a serious and persistent concern regarding public health and safety.
Responding to another query, Pujari stated in his written reply that a total of 1,336 people have died due to lightning strikes over the past five years.
