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Cyclone Dana has hit Odisha, causing significant damage and prompting the evacuation of nearly 3.77 lakh people to relief centers.
The storm's impact was also felt in West Bengal, leading to the temporary suspension of airport services.
As the cyclone is expected to weaken by October 25, both states have taken extensive safety measures, including the evacuation of additional residents in Odisha.

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Dana is expected to weaken into a depression

Cyclone Dana makes landfall in Odisha; trees uprooted, roads blocked

By Tanya Shrivastava

Oct 25, 2024

09:43 am

What's the story

Cyclone Dana made landfall on the Odisha coast shortly after midnight on Thursday. The severe cyclonic storm brought along heavy rain and strong winds with speeds of up to 110km/h. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the landfall process would continue into Friday morning (October 25).

Impact

Cyclone Dana's impact and government response

The cyclone affected coastal districts such as Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Balasore and Jagatsinghpur, badly. The districts witnessed sudden increase in wind speed and very heavy rainfall. The IMD observed when the center of the system makes landfall, wind speed could increase to 120km/h. Odisha's revenue and disaster management minister said around 10 districts could be affected by the cyclone.

Evacuation

Evacuation measures and relief efforts in Odisha

Around 3.77 lakh people have been evacuated from high-risk zones in low-lying coastal areas. The state has also set up 7,307 relief centers in different districts to house evacuees. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi also confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah had been briefed about Odisha's preparedness for the cyclone.

Bengal impact

Cyclone Dana's effects felt in West Bengal

In West Bengal, East Midnapore and Kolkata also experienced the cyclone's impact. Authorities had suspended services at Bhubaneswar's Biju Patnaik International Airport and Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport as a precautionary measure. These services were scheduled to resume at 9:00am on October 25.

Forecast

Weather forecast and public safety measures

The IMD predicted light-to-moderate rainfall in most places with heavy-to-very heavy rainfall expected in several districts till October 25. Cyclone Dana is likely to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by forenoon on October 25, weather forecasts said. Both Odisha and West Bengal governments took extensive measures to ensure public safety. In Odisha, around 5.8 lakh people were evacuated with the help of rescue teams including National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) units.