Thiruvananthapuram | Outgoing Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday expressed deep sorrow over the death of four youth in a lightning strike at Mankada in Malappuram district.

In a statement, Vijayan said the incident was "extremely painful and saddening" and described the loss as irreparable.

Four people died after being struck by lightning at a hilltop near Mankada in Malappuram on Tuesday evening.

All four, aged between 18 and 20 years, were part of a group of seven youths who went to the hill, which is a popular viewpoint in the area, police had said.

Wishing a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident, Vijayan said steps should be taken to provide eligible compensation to the families of the victims from the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.

The outgoing CM also urged people to remain highly cautious in the backdrop of natural disasters and asked the public to take lightning warnings seriously and strictly follow safety guidelines.