Bhubaneswar, March 15 -- Two people were killed, at least 17 injured, and more than 100 houses damaged after a tornado struck multiple villages near Karanjia in Odisha's Mayurbhanj district on Sunday afternoon, officials said.

The tornado hit the villages along National Highway (NH)-220 around 4 pm and lasted nearly 30 minutes, leaving a trail of destruction in Kia and Kankada villages in Karanjia block. Nearby Panapasi and Dumuria villages were also affected.

Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced an ex-gratia of Rs.4 lakh for each of the families of the deceased from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), Mayurbhanj District Collector (DC) Hemakanta Soy said.

Officials said strong winds uprooted trees and electric poles, t...