Cyclone Dana to hit Odisha as severe storm in 2 days, relief teams on alert

Cyclone Dana Update: At least 20 NDRF teams in Odisha and 14 teams in West Bengal are on standby and educational institutions have been shut, as Cyclone Dana will make landfall between Bhitarkanika Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha from the night of October 24 to the morning of October 25.

In Short

• More than 150 trains cancelled as Odisha, Bengal brace for Cyclone Dana
• Evacuations underway in both states, schools closed in vulnerable areas
• Cyclone to make landfall between Odisha's Bhitarkanika Park and Dhamra Port

The Odisha and West Bengal governments have expedited the evacuation of people from coastal areas as the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm 'Dana' on Wednesday morning.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone is expected to hit Odisha's coast between Bhitarkanika Park and Dhamra Port from the night of October 24 to the morning of October 25.

Wind speeds are expected to reach 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph during the cyclone's landfall, the weather body said in its press statement.

The cyclone was centred about 560 km southeast of Odisha's Paradip and 600 km south-southeast of West Bengal's Sagar Island at 8.30 am today, the IMD's latest bulletin said.

IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that Odisha is likely to be the most affected, with heavy to very heavy rainfall and high-speed winds.

Here are top developments as Odisha, Bengal prepare for Cyclone Dana

1. A total of 20 NDRF teams in Odisha and 14 teams in West Bengal are on standby ahead of the cyclone. Additional rescue and relief teams of the Army, Navy and Coast Guard along with ships and aircraft have been kept in readiness.

   The districts on alert are Angul, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, and Mayurbhanj.

2. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said that it is on high alert, with its dedicated personnel and assets ready to provide assistance, rescue and relief.

   The ICG has deployed helicopters and remote operating stations at Haldia in West Bengal and Paradip in Odisha to broadcast regular weather warnings and safety advisories to fishermen and mariners.

3. An official from the Odisha government told news agency PTI that apart from 20 teams from the NDRF, 51 teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and 178 fire service teams have also been deployed in vulnerable regions.

   The state government has planned to shift over 10 lakh people from 3,000 villages in 14 districts to relief camps, it said in a statement.

   Multipurpose cyclone shelters, flood shelters and other buildings have been identified to shelter the residents of the regions likely to be affected by Cyclone Dana in Odisha.

4. The West Bengal government issued orders putting seven districts in the state on high alert in the wake of the growing concerns around cyclone Dana.

   Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that the government was ready to tackle the issue and was taking care of the situation through a 24x7 control room.

5. Schools will remain closed in seven districts in West Bengal from Wednesday till Saturday as a precautionary measure against the cyclone.

   The districts likely to be hit by Cyclone Dana in West Bengal include South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur, along with coastal areas and neighbouring districts like Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Jhargram, and Hooghly.

6. Over 150 express/passenger trains running through South Eastern Railway jurisdiction have been cancelled in view of the severe cyclonic storm.

   Bhubaneswar Rajdhani Express, Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, Kamakhya-Yesvantpur AC Express, Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express, Howrah-Bhubaneswar Shatabdi Express and Howrah-Yesvantpur Express are among the 150 train cancelled.

7. Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said that over 5,000 relief centres have been set up with modern facilities to provide water, food and milk to children and medicines for injured people.

   "We are expecting around 10 lakh evacuations," he was quoted by PTI as saying. Shree Jagannath and Konark Sun temples have also been closed for visitors till October 25 due to Cyclone Dana.

8. All educational institutions including schools, colleges and universities will be closed in 14 districts in Odisha from Wednesday till Friday in view of the cyclone.

   The educational institutions will be closed in the districts of Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Angul, Khordha, Nayagarh and Cuttack.

9. The Odisha government on Tuesday announced the closure of two of its ecological hotspots - Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj district and Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district. Both districts have been identified as red zones ahead of the cyclone.