Cyclone Dana Highlights: Severe cyclone makes landfall along Odisha-Bengal coasts; rail & flight ops suspended

Amid the relentless roar of the sea and crashing waves, people moved to a shelter camp at Ramnagar Block of Purba Medinipur district in West Bengal have only one question on their minds and lips — “Will our homes be still standing when we return?”

“We lost everything in the last cyclone… It took us a year to rebuild our mud house… Every time we come here, we wonder whether our home will be there when we return,” said 80-year-old Gouri Jana, who was at the shelter home for the third time in nearly as many years.

The coastal region of West Bengal is witnessing an uptick in the number of cyclones in the past one decade. Cyclone Amphan of May 2020 was the most devasting one. With a wind speed of 260 km/h, the super cyclone flattened large parts of the state’s coastal belt overlooking the Bay of Bengal. Read More

Cyclone Dana crossed the North Odisha coast close to Habalikhati Nature Camp & Dhamra during 1:30-3:30 hours on Friday with a wind speed of 100-120 kmph. Landfall process continues & the rear sector of the cyclone is entering into land. It would take another 2-3 hours, as per IMD.

The landfall process continues and centre lies near the Odisha coast near Habalikhati nature camp (Bhitarkanika). The severe cyclonic storm “Dana” (pronounced as dana) over northwest bay of bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph during the past 06 hours and lay centred at 0130 hrs ist of today, the 25th October, over the northwest bay of bengal near latitude 20.60° n and longitude 87.00°e, close to Odisha coast near Habalikhati nature camp (Bhitarkanika) 20 km south-southeast of Dhamara (Odisha).

It is very likely to continue moving north-northwestwards and cross the north Odisha coast close to Bhitarkanika and Dharma (Odisha) during the next hour as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 mph., as per IMPD bulletin.

Ahead of Cyclone Dana’s landfall in neighbouring Odisha Thursday midnight, the state administration in West Bengal was racing against time to evacuate people and bring them to safe shelters with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee monitoring the situation from the Kolkata control room.

By late Thursday evening, government officials said the evacuation process has been completed with over 3.5 lakh people brought to shelters in eight districts of the state, including Kolkata, Howrah, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Bankura and Hooghly.

By Thursday evening, the cyclonic storm, located 150 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 250 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal), approached towards the subcontinent. Read More

The landfall process of severe cyclonic storm DANA has commenced and it is likely to continue till morning hours, according to According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Bhubaneswar.

"Landfall process has commenced. It lay near latitude 20.5° N and longitude 87.1°E, about 50 km east-northeast of Paradip (Odisha), 40 km south-southeast of Dhamara (Odisha) and 160 km southwest of Sagar Island (West Bengal). It is very likely to move north-northwestwards and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamara (Odisha) during next 3 to 4 hours as a severe Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph. Landfall process has commenced and the forward sector of the wall cloud region is entering into land. The landfall process would continue till today, the 25th October morning," posted IMD on X.

Severe cyclonic storm Dana over the northwest Bay of Bengal has moved north-northwest at 13 km/h in the past 3 hours. As of 9:30 pm, it was centered approximately 60 km east-southeast of Paradip, 80 km south-southeast of Odisha’s Dhamra, and 180 km south-southwest of Sagar Island in West Bengal.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) on Thursday said it has initiated comprehensive safety measures to safeguard ports, vessels, and personnel in response to cyclone Dana.

Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Shantanu Thakur, chaired a detailed review meeting to assess the preparedness of the Ministry, the Directorate General of Shipping, and the IMD.

Thakur praised the proactive measures taken by the concerned agencies and urged them to stay vigilant in monitoring the situation as the cyclone intensifies, according to an official statement.

(With inputs from PTI)

Telecom service providers in Odisha have activated intra-circle roaming in seven districts of the state which were put under ‘red-warning' for cyclone Dana, a minister said on Thursday.

State Electronic and IT Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the intra-circle roaming allows telecom operators to use each other's network and such an arrangement has been activated in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, and Cuttack districts since 8 am.

As per a circular issued by the Department of Telecommunication, the intra-circle roaming facility has been activated among all four service providers—BSNL, Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone, he said.

"With the activation of the facility, telecom users can avail uninterrupted service in the seven districts," he said.

DG sets have been made available at all telecom towers to manage the situation if there is an electricity failure, the minister said.

To further ensure that customers stay connected, Jio has enabled Interconnect Roaming (ICR) in Odisha and West Bengal, said a company official. It will enable customers to remain connected with the available network irrespective of any service provider at that point in time, he added.

(PTI)

Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singhdeo visited the Pattamundai, Rajnagar, Rajkanika, Alli, and Penth areas of Kendrapara district.

He directed the teams present to thoroughly inspect the shelter centers and take all precautions for the safety and welfare of the people.

The severe cyclonic storm Dana over the northwest Bay of Bengal has moved north-northwest at 15 km/h in the past six hours. As of 8:30 pm, it was centered approximately 70 km east-southeast of Paradip, 90 km south-southeast of Odisha's Dhamra, and 190 km south-southwest of Sagar Island in West Bengal.

ISRO on Thursday said its satellites have been tracking the cyclonic storm 'Dana' that is approaching the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal, providing real-time data to aid disaster management efforts.

It said, polar-orbiting satellite EOS-06 and geostationary satellite INSAT-3DR are regularly providing valuable information on the cyclone status.

"Cyclonic Storm 'DANA' is approaching the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal. ISRO's EOS-06 and INSAT-3DR satellites have been tracking the storm since October 20, providing real-time data to aid disaster management efforts," the national space agency said in a post on 'X'.

(With inputs from PTI)

Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi spoke with Prime Minister Narendra Modi this evening about the state's preparedness for cyclone Dana.

During their discussion, the Chief Minister provided details on the ongoing relocation process and reported on the fatalities among security forces, NDRF, and ODRAF personnel involved in ensuring public safety. PM Modi had also spoken with CM Majhi this afternoon to receive updates on Odisha's cyclone preparedness.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Amit Shah also spoke with the Chief Minister, promising full assistance and cooperation.

Parts of Jharkhand could experience heavy to very heavy rainfall from Thursday night under the influence of cyclonic storm Dana, an IMD official said.

An 'orange' alert has been issued for the Kolhan region (West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharswan, and East Singhbhum districts) for Friday.

In view of the inclement weather, the Jharkhand School Education and Literacy Development Department on Thursday said that all categories of schools would be closed on Friday in the Kolhan division.

Six teams of the NDRF have been deployed in Jamshedpur and Chaibasa, while two teams were kept on standby in Ranchi to deal with any emergency situation. Several parts of central Jharkhand, including Ranchi, Khunti, Lohardaga, Gumla, Ramgarh, Giridih, Deoghar, Dhanbad, and Jamtara may also experience heavy rainfall on Friday, an official from Ranchi Meteorological Centre said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

Suresh Pujari, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister said, "Around 10 districts are likely to be affected by the cyclone comprising 60 blocks, 2131 villages, 12 urban local bodies and 55 wards in different urban local bodies."

"The evacuation process has almost reached its conclusion. Almost 4 lakh people have already been evacuated. We have prepared 7307 relief centres across different districts," Pujari said.

He added that 213 medical teams have been deployed to take care of the evacuated people and 120 veterinary teams have also been positioned in different locations.

"The total response force employed in different districts is 385-- 19 NDRF, 51 ODRAF, 220 fire services teams, and 95 Odisha Forest Development Corporation teams are also deployed," he said.

The Odisha government released district-wise helpline numbers ahead of Cyclone Dana's landfall.

West Bengal Chief Minister on Thursday said that the administration identified over 3.5 lakh people to be evacuated from low-lying areas of the state in the wake of the approaching cyclone Dana.

She said that she would be staying the entire night at the state secretariat and personally monitor the situation.

"For the purpose of evacuation from low-lying areas, we have identified 3,56,941 people," Banerjee said, as quoted by news agency PTI. At least 2,43,374 people have taken shelter in camps, she added.

She said that a 24x7 helpline (2214 3526) and some associated phone numbers have been made functional for monitoring and sharing information.

"I seek your cooperation. Be alert. If the police or the administration ask you to evacuate a place, please pay heed to their advice. Do not venture into the waters. Fishing is prohibited now," she said.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is monitoring the situation at Nabanna ahead of cyclone Dana expected to make landfall tonight along the Odisha-West Bengal coast.

Odisha Disaster Minister Suresh Pujari said the authorities will reassess the situation tomorrow morning after the cyclone makes landfall.

He said, "Everything is under control as of now, officials are monitoring the situation at different spots. Tonight is very important and we will reevaluate the situation tomorrow morning after the cyclonic storm makes landfall."

With cyclone Dana moving rapidly towards the Odisha coast, flight light operations will remain temporarily suspended from 5 pm today to 9 am on 25th October.

Bhubaneswar Airport Director Prasanna Pradhan said that around 40 flights will be impacted—canceled, rescheduled, or delayed—due to the suspension. He added that a review of weather conditions will take place later tomorrow morning to determine if operations can resume.

As cyclone Dana continues to barrel towards the Odisha coast, residents in Kendrapara district are rushing to relief camps.

Heavy rains have been lashing the coastal villages since morning as the storm approaches the coastal areas of Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore districts.

The cyclone is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha early Friday with wind speeds of up to 120 kmph, the IMD said.

"More than the wind velocity, we are deeply concerned about the tidal surge, which could wreak havoc in the region. The IMD has forecast a tidal surge of at least one to two metres. As the sea has become turbulent with massive waves crashing on the shore, we rushed back to the cyclone centre this morning," said Rabindra Maity, a local from Talchua village near Bhitarkanika National Park, as quoted by news agency PTI.

"We fear tidal ingress into our villages as sea waves batter the shorelines. The advancing sea may cause more damage than the storm itself," said Arjun Mohanty, a resident of Okilopala village in Rajnagar.

The relief camps are equipped with essential provisions, including food, drinking water, baby supplies, and women police officers.

(With inputs from PTI)

Boats anchored at the coast submerged in water due to strong winds amid the effects of cyclone Dana in Odisha's Kendrapara.

The Odisha government has evacuated nearly 4 lakh people from low-lying and vulnerable areas of 11 coastal and northern districts ahead of the landfall of severe cyclonic storm Dana, expected in the intervening night of Thursday and Friday.

A total of 7,285 cyclone shelters, including 6,443 temporary shelters, have been prepared by the administration to accommodate the evacuees. Instructions have been issued to provide cooked food and other facilities to the people at the shelters, said Majhi.

As many as 2,338 pregnant women expecting delivery in two weeks have been moved to various hospitals.

Sujit Bisoyi reports from Odisha

With cyclone Dana moving rapidly towards the West Bengal coasts, the government has evacuated 1,59,837 people and relocated 83,537 to relief camps so far.

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the storm is very likely to move north-northwestwards and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island.

It will make landfall close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamara (Odisha), between the midnight of October 24 and the morning of October 25.

A landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone coming onto land after being over water. As per the IMD, a tropical cyclone is said to have made landfall when the centre of the storm – or its eye – moves over the coast.

As per the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), because the strongest winds in a tropical cyclone are not located precisely at the centre, it is possible for a cyclone’s strongest winds to be experienced over land even if landfall does not occur. Read More

As cyclonic storm Dana continues to barrel towards West Bengal, CM Mamata Banerjee said at a press conference that she will stay at Nabanna overnight to monitor the situation. She added that the schools will remain closed for tomorrow

"People's lives are most important and we will have to protect lives first. Schools will remain closed for tomorrow. I will also stay at Nabanna overnight and monitor the situation," Banerjee said at a press conference.

“24X7 helpline is active in Nabanna and at respective districts too. All officials have been informed to create a mechanism to keep a tab on the situation at their respective districts,” she added.

Ahead of suspending flight operations because of cyclone Dana, the Kolkata airport authorities started making arrangements to ensure the safety of people, planes, and infrastructure at the facility.

Flight operations at the airport will be suspended for 15 hours from 6 pm on Thursday.

All entry and exit doors of the terminal building will be sealed after the last flight departs from the Kolkata airport while the aircraft parked on the bays will be tied up, airport Director Dr Pravat Ranjan Beuria said, as quoted by news agency PTI.

“In addition, all aerobridges will be retracted and ladders will be tied together to prevent those from moving and hitting planes during the storm,” Beuria said.

Following the standard operating procedure, all vehicles used in the airside of the airport will be removed from the operational area. “All ground handling equipment will also be chained together so that nothing moves due to the gusts,” the airport director said.

All ground handling units or agencies will ensure that nothing - no materials related to their work – is left in the open. This is done to ensure that there is no flying debris during the storm. They could cause damage to aircraft parked on the tarmac, Beuria said, as quoted by PTI.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said at a press conference that a 24/7 helpline is active in Nabanna and other districts.

"24X7 helpline is active in Nabanna and at respective districts too. All officials have been informed to create a mechanism to keep a tab of the situation at their respective districts," she said at a press conference as Cyclone Dana will make landfall at the state's coast later in the evening.

With cyclone Dana moving rapidly towards the Odisha coast, the authorities on Thursday advised devotees against visiting the Jagannath temple in Puri.

Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain said that the devotees, including those undertaking a month-long ‘Kartik Brata' ritual, should also be discouraged from visiting the temple as a safety measure.

Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) in a statement, as quoted by news agency PTI, said that all measures were being taken to protect the shrine located in the seaside town while keeping the daily rituals intact. The administration said that measures have been taken to ensure that loose materials like GI sheets, scaffolding tubes, and others do not get affected in the gale.

According to the IMD forecast, Puri district is likely to experience wind at the maximum speed of 80 kilometres per hour during the landfall of the severe cyclone Dana early on Friday. The district will also receive heavy rainfall.

Cyclone Dana, which might hit landfall tonight is currently hovering over the east-central Bay of Bengal and is expected to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm between the Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port.

The storm, which is expected to generate wind speeds of anywhere between 100-110 kmph and gusts at 120kmph is categorised as a tropical storm. For those wondering, tropical cyclones are considered some of Earth’s most devastating storms.

While the Indian Meteorological Department alerts people who might be affected by the cyclone hours prior to impact, it does not have a real-time cyclone tracker. However, there are some third-party services like Windy, Zoom Earth, and others that show the estimated path of the cyclone along with how severe it will be on its way. Read More

Evacuating old and dilapidated buildings, monitoring electricity lines, and setting up a 24-hour control room with emergency teams on standby – as cyclonic storm Dana continues to barrel towards coastal Odisha and West Bengal, Kolkata braces for its impact.

According to officials, the city is keeping in mind the thousands of old and dilapidated houses that line the city while preparing itself. The city also saw over 5,000 trees uprooted during Cyclone Amphan which hit Bengal in 2020 and is keeping response teams ready.

“There are thousands of old and dilapidated houses in Kolkata, some of which have been declared ‘dangerous’ by the KMC. People have been evacuated from such houses. We are also co-ordination with the Kolkata Police,” said a highly-placed KMC official. Read More