As per the latest news reports, Cyclone Dana is rapidly approaching the east coast of India. A landfall is anticipated in Odisha between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port early on Friday, October 25, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). People from most of the areas have been evacuated, as per the reports.
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Current situation and forecast
Cyclone Dana has been categorised as a ‘severe cyclonic storm,’ with maximum wind speeds anticipated to reach up to 120 km/h during landfall. The IMD has confirmed that the cyclone is currently situated approximately 260 km southeast of Paradip and 290 km south-southeast of Dhamra. The storm has intensified overnight and is moving north-westward at a speed of about 12 km/h.
It is anticipated that coastal Odisha and southern West Bengal may experience severe rainfall as the landfall process begins on the evening of October 24. This weather pattern is expected to raise the risk of flooding and landslides, especially in low-lying areas. The cyclone’s wind and rainfall will peak during landfall, offering a multi-hazard to the affected areas.
Flights and trains cancelled
The Indian Railways has also cancelled many train services on eastern and southeastern routes on October 24 and 25 in anticipation of the Cyclone Dana impact.Additionally, Kolkata airport has announced a suspension of all flight operations for 15 hours, starting from 6 PM on October 24. This decision has been taken to ensure safety of passengers, considering the predicted wind speeds of 60 to 80 km/h with heavy rainfall in the region.
The IMD has also banned all marine activities, including fishing, in the Bay of Bengal until the cyclone has passed. Fishermen had been advised to return to the coast well in advance to avoid being caught in the storm.
Evacuation efforts underway
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has reviewed the state government’s readiness plans and emphasised that it’s crucial to evacuate citizens from areas of danger. Only roughly 30% of the 3–4 lakh individuals who were thought to reside in these areas had been evacuated as of Wednesday night. Up to 10 lakh people are expected to be moved to cyclone shelters, equipped with basic amenities as part of ongoing efforts to relocate affected people.
A red alert has been issued by the IMD for a number of districts, including Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, and Jajpur, indicating the possibility of strong winds and heavy to very heavy rainfall. Other districts, such as Puri and Khordha, have also received orange and yellow alerts, which indicate the possibility of unfavourable weather conditions.
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Emergency response teams
To effectively manage the cyclone’s potential fallout, dedicated 24/7 war rooms have been set up at key locations, including Bhubaneswar and Kolkata. These facilities, with staffs from various departments like operations, signalling and telecommunications, engineering, and the Railway Protection Force will be working together, to ensure rapid decision-making regarding cyclone impacts. Specialised teams have been deployed to critical locations to restore railway tracks, signalling systems, and electrification, should they be affected by the cyclone.
More than 600 staff members have been deployed throughout Odisha and West Bengal to supervise preparations, and emergency response plans include the availability of diesel locomotives to keep trains running during blackouts. Heavy machinery units and relief vans are also ready to respond right away.