300 wild reindeer killed by lightning

MORE than 300 wild reindeer have been killed by lightning in central Norway in what wildlife officials described as an unusually large natural disaster.

Eerie images showing a jumble of reindeer carcasses scattered across a small area on the Hardangervidda mountain plateau have been released by the Norwegian Environment Agency.

The agency says 323 animals were killed, including 70 calves, in the lightning storm on Friday.

Agency spokesman Kjartan Knutsen said it is not uncommon for reindeer or other wildlife to be killed by lightning strikes, “but we have not heard about such numbers before.”