Cyclone Dana hit Odisha's coast after midnight on Thursday, bringing very heavy rain and strong winds of up to 110 km/h to the coastal districts.
Cyclone Dana started making landfall between the night of October 24 and 25, and it's expected to continue until Friday morning, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD shared on X that the cyclone is located near 20.5° N and 87.1° E, about 50 km east-northeast of Paradip, 40 km south-southeast of Dhamara in Odisha, and 160 km southwest of Sagar Island, West Bengal.
The name 'Dana' comes from Arabic, meaning 'generosity.' In Arab culture, it also refers to a perfectly sized, valuable, and beautiful pearl, connected to the region's history of pearl diving.
Odisha has made extensive preparations to handle Cyclone Dana. The state set up 5,209 cyclone shelters and evacuated over 3.62 lakh people from high-risk areas, including 3,654 pregnant women, who were moved to nearby hospitals.
Six hours before the cyclone made landfall, its outer layer brought heavy rain and winds to Odisha’s coastal region on Thursday evening. Trees were uprooted, and power infrastructure was damaged in parts of Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts. Disaster response teams have been working carefully to clear blocked roads.
In Bhadrak district, Odisha, many trees have been uprooted by strong winds and heavy rain as Cyclone Dana continues to make landfall early Friday. Roads are blocked due to fallen trees, and the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reports wind speeds of 100-110 km/h, with gusts up to 120 km/h. The IMD also shared that the storm is moving at 12 km/h and is centered about 15 km north of Dhamara and 30 km from Bhitarkanika.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) says Cyclone Dana will move west-northwest across northern Odisha and gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm by this morning. Both Odisha and West Bengal are on high alert, with train and flight operations suspended. The IMD has warned about possible flash floods.
No major damage or casualties have been reported yet. However, officials warn that when the cyclone’s center hits land today, wind speeds could reach 120 km/h.
NDRF, ODRAF Begin Clearing Uprooted Trees in Odisha
After Cyclone Dana's landfall, many trees fell across Odisha. Teams from the NDRF and ODRAF have started clearing the roads, especially in the Dhamra area of Bhadrak district, despite facing strong winds and heavy rain.
Odisha’s Higher Education Minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, confirmed there have been no casualties but noted significant damage to electrical installations due to fallen trees. Roads are being cleared. Rajnagar Tehsildar Ajay Mohanty reported no major damage in Bhitarkanika, except for some uprooted trees and damage to a few thatched houses.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged people to stay safe and cooperate with authorities, as over 2.4 lakh people have been evacuated. She asked everyone not to spread rumors or panic and provided a 24/7 helpline (2214 3526) for updates and assistance. Schools have been closed to keep students safe.
Banerjee advised residents to listen to evacuation orders, avoid venturing into water, and reminded fishermen that fishing is currently banned. She also criticized the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for releasing 24,000 cusecs of water, warning it could lead to flooding again. She suggested that DVC should do more dredging to manage water better. She added that continuous dredging of Kolkata’s drainage system has helped prevent flooding during heavy rain.
Flights: Kolkata airport suspended operations for 15 hours starting at 6 p.m. on Thursday (October 24, 2024), and will reopen at 9 a.m. on Friday (October 25, 2024). Biju Patnaik International Airport also suspended flights for 16 hours from 5 p.m. on Thursday.
Railways: East Coast Railway has diverted, canceled, or short-terminated about 203 trains for safety reasons. Train services to and from Kolkata’s suburbs may be disrupted. Eastern Railway will not run any local EMU trains from Sealdah station on its south and Hasnabad sections from 8 p.m. on Thursday until 10 a.m. on Friday. They also canceled 68 suburban trains on the Howrah division for Friday morning.
Ferries: Ferry services in the Sunderbans area and across the Hooghly River in Kolkata will be canceled.
Warnings: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a 'red warning' for heavy to very heavy rainfall and wind speeds of 100-110 km/h in four districts: Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur on Thursday night. Fishermen are advised not to go to sea due to gale winds reaching 90-100 km/h, gusting to 110 km/h. Heavy rainfall is also expected in several south Bengal districts, including Kolkata.
Helpline numbers for Odisha: BALESORE: 06782-262286 / 261077 MAYURBHANJ: 06792-252759 / 252941 BHADRAK: 06784-251881 JAJPUR: 06728-222648 KENDRAPADA: 06727-232803 KEONJHAR: 06766-255437 JAGATSINGHPUR: 06724-220368 CUTTACK: 0671-2507842 DHENKANAL: 06762-226507 / 221376 PURI: 06752-223237 BMC (BBSR) TOLL FREE NUMBER-1929 EMERGENCY RESPONSE SUPPORT SYSTEM: 112
Helpline numbers for West Bengal: 24X7 helpline: 2214 3526 WEST BENGAL POLICE: 033 22145486 / 22141988 WEST MEDINIPUR DISTRICT CONTROL ROOM: 03222 267983 WEST MEDINIPUR SPECIAL CONTROL ROOM :6296060699/100 KOLKATA MUNICIPAL CORPORATION: 91 33 2286- 1212/ 1313/ 1414
