Cyclone Dana: Odisha braces for landfall tonight, Kolkata to suspend flights

Authorities in Odisha have already evacuated more than 3 lakh people by Wednesday evening in view of cyclone Dana that is threatening to impact nearly half of the state's population.

In Short

• Odisha targets evacuation of 10 lakh before cyclone Dana makes landfall
• Cyclone Dana to hit between Bhitarkanika and Dhamra
• Kolkata, Bhubaneswar airports to suspend operations until Friday morning

Authorities in Odisha are racing against time to evacuate about 10 lakh people from several coastal districts before cyclone Dana's expected landfall in the state tonight. According to the India Meterological Department (IMD), cyclone Dana, which has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds likely to reach up to 120 kmph, is threatening to impact nearly half of the state's population.

The IMD said the cyclone lay 330 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 360 km south-southeast of Dhamara (Odisha) and 420 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) as of 11.30 pm on Wednesday. The landfall is expected to take place between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port, both in Odisha.

The Met Department has warned of heavy to very heavy rain in West Bengal, especially in the districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly, on Thursday and Friday.

While the Kolkata airport will suspend flight operations from 6 pm on Thursday to 9 am tomorrow, the Bhubaneswar airport will suspend its operations from 5 pm today to 9 am on Friday. Nearly 200 trains have been cancelled running through the two neighbouring states in the wake of the cyclone.

In Odisha, about 3 lakh people were evacuated by Wednesday evening, while West Bengal has shifted over 1.14 lakh people to shelters.