The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal has intensified into Cyclone Dana, heading towards the Odisha-Bengal coast. According to the latest update from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the storm is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port on Friday, October 25.
In anticipation of the cyclone’s impact, authorities have issued heavy rainfall alerts across multiple districts in both Odisha and West Bengal. Nearly 10 lakh people from vulnerable coastal regions are being evacuated to relief camps as part of the emergency response efforts.
Government and rescue forces on high alert
Odisha and West Bengal government authorities, along with the Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other rescue teams, are on high alert. All schools in the coastal districts have been closed, and the evacuation process is in full swing in the areas expected to experience the worst of the storm.
IMD’s forecast indicates that the cyclone will make landfall in the early hours of October 25, bringing wind speeds of 100-110 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 120 kmph.
Odisha’s preparations for Cyclone Dana
The Odisha government, in collaboration with disaster response teams, has begun evacuating residents from high-risk areas. Arrangements have been made to provide temporary relief for nearly 10 lakh people. Multipurpose cyclone shelters, flood shelters, and other buildings have been identified as safe zones where evacuees will be housed. Authorities have also ensured the provision of food, drinking water, lighting, sanitation, and healthcare facilities at these shelters, according to Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.
Vulnerable districts in Odisha and West Bengal
The IMD has identified fourteen districts in Odisha that are likely to experience the most severe impacts of Cyclone Dana: Angul, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, and Mayurbhanj. In West Bengal, the districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur, along with nearby areas such as Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Jhargram, and Hooghly, are expected to be the hardest hit by the storm.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, as they work to minimize the impact of Cyclone Dana on both states.
