NEW DELHI, June 12 (Xinhua) -- India's eastern state of Odisha has decided to install lightning sensors in all its districts to warn people of possible lightning strikes.

The decision came in the wake of 18 deaths in lightning strikes in Odisha over the past three days, officials said.

According to Odisha's Special Relief Commissioner B.P. Sethi, the sensors will help the government "get information about lightning 45 minutes prior to lightning strike".

"The state government will make arrangements to send the information to the people through mass media. This will help people to move to safer places," he told the media Tuesday.

For the installation of the sensors in high-rise buildings and shelter homes, the state government will soon ink a pact with U.S.-based lightning analyzing system firm Earth Networks.

Over 1,200 people lost their lives in lightning strikes in Odisha in the past three years.