Amlan Nayak, DFO of the Chilika Wildlife Division, assured that preparations are in place for Cyclone Dana, with teams actively monitoring temporary bird camps. All staff have been alerted, and the district administration has canceled leave for emergency response. Nayak stated, “We are conducting thorough patrols and will address any incidents affecting human life, property, or wildlife. Our resources include 21 teams dedicated to bird monitoring, all equipped for immediate action during emergencies.”
Public transportation to and from Kolkata’s suburbs may face disruptions beginning this evening, as Eastern and South Eastern Railways have canceled numerous trains on Thursday and Friday due to the impending cyclone.
Ferry services in the Sunderbans region, covering North and South 24 Parganas and areas across the Hooghly River in Kolkata, will also be halted due to the forecasted severe weather, according to officials.
Additionally, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has established a control room at its headquarters and canceled leave for essential personnel.
The coastal districts of Bengal have been experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall and gusty winds since early Thursday, while Kolkata began the day with overcast skies and intermittent showers as Cyclone Dana approached.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall in isolated areas of southern Bengal on Thursday and Friday, including the North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Kolkata, Howrah, and Hooghly districts.
In a morning post on X, the IMD stated, “The severe cyclonic storm ‘DANA’ has been moving north-northwestward at a speed of 12 km/h over the past 6 hours and was centered today at 08:30 hrs IST over the northwest Bay of Bengal, approximately 210 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 240 km south-southeast of Dhamara (Odisha), and 310 km south of Sagar Island (West Bengal).”
The IMD further indicated, “It is expected to move north-northwestward and cross the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island, near Bhitarkanika and Dhamara (Odisha), between the midnight of October 24 and the morning of October 25, 2024, as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 100-110 km/h, gusting up to 120 km/h.”
Ahead of the landfall, former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik issued a video message on Wednesday, urging the public not to panic and to prioritize safety.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a high-level meeting to review cyclone preparedness at Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar, with the Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management, Suresh Pujari, in attendance.
Odisha Minister Dr. Krushna Chandra Mahapatra stated that everyone is on alert in areas expected to be affected by the cyclone.
Authorities have advised against visiting the Jagannath temple in Puri and have expedited preparations to minimize the impact of the cyclone on the 12th-century shrine.
As Cyclone Dana approaches the Odisha coast, the Indian Navy has been preparing for potential Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations, with ships on standby equipped with supplies and rescue teams for relief efforts.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has been actively creating awareness about Cyclone Dana in various districts of Odisha, going door-to-door with loudspeakers to inform residents of the approaching storm.
Parts of Jharkhand are also expected to receive heavy rainfall starting Thursday night due to the influence of Cyclone Dana. An ‘orange’ alert has been issued for the Kolhan region, indicating heavy rainfall of 115 mm to 204 mm over 24 hours.
Flights to and from the eastern states of Odisha and West Bengal, including Kolkata, will be suspended from Thursday evening to Friday morning due to the cyclone.
As the storm approaches, over 1.1 million people on India’s eastern coast are evacuating to storm shelters inland, with Cyclone Dana predicted to hit the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha as a “severe cyclonic storm” late Thursday, bringing winds gusting up to 120 kilometers per hour.
The coastal region of Odisha has already begun experiencing heavy rain and squally winds as Cyclone Dana draws near, with sea conditions remaining rough.
Director of IMD, Manorama Mohanty, confirmed that Cyclone Dana intensified into a severe cyclonic storm overnight and is currently moving northwest at a speed of 12 km/h. She stated that it will make landfall between midnight and early morning on October 25, with wind speeds expected to reach 100 to 110 kilometers per hour. Heavy rainfall and increasing wind speeds are anticipated in the capital city tonight.
NDRF teams in both Odisha and West Bengal are on standby, and rescue and relief teams from the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard are on high alert.
West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose expressed solidarity with the people during this time, noting that the residents have faced many storms and will confront Cyclone Dana with confidence. He encouraged everyone to follow the government’s and disaster management authority’s guidelines.
In Bhadrak district, the local administration is evacuating people to cyclone shelters ahead of the storm’s expected landfall, which is anticipated on October 25.
As Cyclone Dana nears, several districts in West Bengal have already reported moderate to heavy rain.
More than 114,000 individuals in West Bengal have been evacuated to safer shelters as Cyclone Dana approaches the Odisha coast.
Flight operations at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar will be suspended for 16 hours from Thursday evening due to the cyclone.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reported that over 30 percent of the targeted 1 million residents have been evacuated to safe locations by Wednesday evening in preparation for the cyclone, which is projected to impact a significant portion of the state’s population.
Three ports in Odisha have issued a great danger signal number 10 ahead of the cyclone’s landfall.
Kolkata airport authorities announced the suspension of flight operations for 15 hours from 6 PM on Thursday due to the impending cyclone.
West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose emphasized the need for preparedness, urging citizens to adhere to safety instructions provided by the government and disaster management authorities, assuring that the disaster management systems are ready to respond effectively.
According to IMD sources, wind speeds in Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore are expected to reach 100-110 km/h, with gusts up to 120 km/h, along with extremely heavy rainfall and tidal surges during the landfall process, which is anticipated to last around four to five hours.
The IMD has indicated that the landfall process for Cyclone Dana is expected to begin tonight, October 24, and continue into the early hours of October 25, bringing strong winds and heavy rainfall to both Odisha and West Bengal.
