Cyclone Dana makes landfall in Odisha, heavy rain pounds coastal districts
The coastal districts of Odisha were battered by the powerful severe cyclonic storm Dana, which made landfall after midnight on Thursday.
The storm, with wind speeds exceeding 110 km/h, caused heavy rainfall and fierce gusts across the region, including parts of West Bengal. The landfall process started after midnight and continued into Friday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
The severe cyclonic storm now lay centred over north coastal Odisha, near north-northwest of Dhamara and north-northwest of Habalikhati nature camp. It is expected to move westwards within Odisha, weakening to a “cyclone” before noon. As a result, the “severe cyclone” is unlikely to enter West Bengal, though heavy rain will continue, according to officials.
The gusty winds and heavy downpour caused destruction in several areas, including Vansaba, Bhadrak and Dhamra, which witnessed multiple incidents of tree falls and damage to some structures. Several roads were also closed across the region and all modes of transport were hit.
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In light of the heavy rain and the potential impact of Cyclone Dana in Odisha and West Bengal, schools and other educational institutions were closed on Friday. Educational institutions in parts of Jharkhand have also been ordered to remain closed.
Flight operations at Kolkata Airport and Bhubaneswar Airport were suspended from Thursday evening to Friday morning but resumed shortly after the landfall.
Over 400 trains passing through the two neighbouring states have been cancelled in response to the cyclone. Kolkata Port authorities also halted ship movements until Friday evening as a precautionary measure.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi monitored the situation from the State Emergency Control Room in Bhubaneswar before Cyclone Dana made landfall along the state coast in the Bay of Bengal. He stated that state ministers and officials are assessing the situation on the ground and ensuring all arrangements are in place.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with the Odisha Chief Minister on Thursday night to enquire about the measures taken in response to Cyclone Dana. PM Modi assured full support and assistance from the Centre to the Odisha government in managing the storm and its potential impacts.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also continued to monitor the situation from the State Government Control Room in Howrah, even hours after Dana made landfall. Rain also lashed Kolkata on Friday morning.
In Odisha, approximately 5.84 lakh people have been evacuated so far as a precautionary measure to prevent loss of life in the aftermath of Cyclone Dana, the government reported. In West Bengal, more than 3.5 lakh people were identified for evacuation from low-lying areas, according to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Out of more than 4,400 pregnant women taken to cyclone shelters in Odisha, 1,600 have given birth, the state government reported. Both mothers and newborns are in good health and are receiving continued care at various centres.
According to the weather department, Cyclone Dana will remain a severe cyclonic storm but is expected to gradually weaken on Friday as it moves further into Odisha, bringing heavy rains to most areas.
The districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly in West Bengal are expected to receive extremely heavy to very heavy rainfall on Friday. Fishermen have been advised to avoid the Bay of Bengal and the coastal areas of Odisha, West Bengal, and Bangladesh until the storm subsides after Friday morning.
Parts of Jharkhand are also likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall due to Cyclonic Storm Dana. An ‘orange’ alert has been issued for the Kolhan region, including West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharswan, and East Singhbhum districts, for Friday. All schools from kindergarten to class 12 in these districts are closed on October 25. Six NDRF teams have been deployed in Jamshedpur and Chaibasa, with two teams on standby in Ranchi to handle any emergency, officials said.