Horribly Sad! Single lightning strike kills 323 reindeers in Norway

New Delhi: This is really shocking and painful. At least 323 reindeer were found dead by a gamekeeper on a central mountain in southern Norway on Friday.

The officials of Norwegian Nature Inspecter believe that the flock was struck by lightening when a strong storm passed through Hardangervidda region. In a press release, Norwegian Environment Agency said that out of the total death toll 70 were calves.

"It's unusual. We've never seen anything like this on this scale. There were very strong storms in the area on Friday. The animals stay close together in bad weather and these ones were hit by lightning " Kjartan Knutsen, an official from the Norwegian Environmental Agency, told the AFP news agency.

The Hardangervidda national park is a popular tourist attraction where Europes largest herds of some 10,000 reindeers roam freely.

This second incident in a month when a large group of animals has been killed by lightening. On August 25th, 38 sheep died after they were hit by lightning in the Indian district of Kanchipuram, according to The Telegraph.