Over 57 cattle were found dead at a village in Odisha's Ganjam district Thursday, with experts suspecting that the animals were exposed to incessant rain triggered by Cyclone Phethai and affected by pneumonia.

Veterinary officials went to Landajuali village under Aska block after being informed by local people about deaths of the cattle which included 53 calves.

"We suspect that the animals died of pneumonia as they were exposed to heavy rain and chilly weather during the cyclone," Assistant District Veterinary Officer (Animal Disease), Rabindra Nath Panda, said.

Panda led a four-member team of veterinary officers, including a clinical investigator, to Landajuali to ascertain the cause of mass bovine death.

Samples were collected from the carcasses for clinical examination to ascertain the exact cause of the incident, the ADVO said.

The carcasses of the cattle were buried after conducting post-mortem.

The cattle were exposed to rains as they were made to roam around in the open. As a result, they might have contacted pneumonia, said an official.

With this, as many as 259 cattle, including 223 calves, have died in different places of Ganjam district during the last three days after the district experienced unseasonal rain due to cyclone Phethai that also lashed Andhra Pradesh, official sources said.

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