Lakhs of residents across Odisha’s coastal districts, including Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, and Balasore, as well as parts of West Bengal, are preparing for a challenging night as severe cyclonic storm Dana approaches the Odisha coast. The cyclone is expected to make landfall shortly after midnight on Thursday, October 24, 2024, with the process likely to continue into early Friday morning.
As of Thursday evening, the storm’s outer bands had reached Odisha’s coastal areas, causing widespread rainfall and strong winds. Initial damage includes uprooted trees and disruptions to power infrastructure in Bhadrak and Kendrapara. Disaster response teams have been working cautiously to clear obstructions along key roads.
Key details:
- Current location: As of 8:30 p.m. IST on Thursday, the cyclone was 70 km east-southeast of Paradip, Odisha, 90 km south-southeast of Dhamara, Odisha, and 190 km south-southwest of Sagar Island, West Bengal, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
- Landfall: IMD forecasts suggest the cyclone will make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port late Thursday night or early Friday morning.
- Evacuations: By 9 p.m. IST, Odisha had evacuated 4,17,626 people, while West Bengal had sheltered nearly 2,43,374 individuals in relief camps.
Impact on transportation:
- Flight operations: Kolkata airport suspended flight operations for 15 hours starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday, resuming at 9 a.m. on Friday. Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar suspended operations from 5 p.m. on Thursday for 16 hours.
- Railways: East Coast Railway diverted, short-terminated, or cancelled 203 trains. Eastern Railway also cancelled 68 suburban trains on the Howrah division for Friday morning.
- Ferry services: Ferry operations in the Sunderbans and across the river Hooghly were suspended.
Weather warnings:
- IMD issued a red warning for heavy to very heavy rainfall and strong winds reaching 100-110 kmph in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur on Thursday night. Fishermen have been advised to avoid the sea, with gale winds currently affecting the northwest Bay of Bengal.
Helpline numbers:
- Odisha: Several districts have set up helpline numbers, including Balasore (06782-262286), Bhadrak (06784-251881), and Kendrapada (06727-232803).
- West Bengal: Emergency helplines include a 24×7 helpline (2214 3526) and numbers for Kolkata Municipal Corporation (91 33 2286-1212/1313/1414).
The cyclone is expected to bring significant rainfall to parts of south Bengal, including Kolkata, and authorities continue to work diligently to ensure public safety as Cyclone Dana nears landfall.
