Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Cyclone Dana, intensifying into a severe cyclonic storm, has brought heavy rains to parts of Odisha and West Bengal, with authorities racing to evacuate people from coastal areas ahead of its expected landfall tonight. The cyclone, with wind speeds of up to 120 kmph, is forecasted to impact nearly half of Odisha’s population, while Bengal is bracing for extremely heavy rainfall over the next two days.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that as of 8:30 am today, the cyclone was located 210 km southeast of Paradip, Odisha, and 310 km south of Sagar Island, West Bengal. Landfall is expected between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha later tonight.
Latest Developments:
Evacuations:
Odisha has evacuated around 3 lakh people by Wednesday evening, with the state aiming to move over 10 lakh individuals to safety. In West Bengal, over 1.14 lakh people have been relocated to shelters from vulnerable districts, including North and South 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur.
Impact on Districts:
Odisha’s Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore are categorized as high-risk zones. Other districts like Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, and Jajpur are also on alert with wind speeds ranging from 60 to 100 kmph.
Transportation Affected:
Flight operations at Bhubaneswar and Kolkata airports are suspended until Friday morning. Additionally, around 200 trains across Odisha and Bengal have been cancelled, disrupting travel in the region.
Rescue Teams on Standby:
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indian Coast Guard, Navy, and Army have deployed personnel in both states. Fishermen have been warned not to venture into the sea due to the cyclone.
As Cyclone Dana approaches landfall, both Odisha and West Bengal are on high alert, with extensive precautions in place to mitigate the storm’s impact.
