Cyclone Dana : Storm to make landfall in Odisha, Bengal tomorrow; evacuation underway

Cyclonic storm Dana is currently barreling towards coastal Odisha, set to make landfall on early Friday morning and bring heavy rains and thunderstorms to the state.

Cyclone Dana will bring heavy rains to the southern part of West Bengal and coastal Odisha, threatening to impact nearly half of the latter’s population after it makes landfall.

Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who reviewed the state government’s preparedness, said that only 30 per cent of the people, or around 3-4 lakh people living in the identified ‘danger zone’, have been evacuated by Wednesday evening.

The evacuation process for all dangers zones will continue on Thursday morning. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that cyclone Dana is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port early Friday. The landfall process, however, is set to commence from October 24 night.

The maximum speed during the landfall process is likely to be around 120 kmph, IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said. “Therefore, heavy rainfall, wind and storm surge will reach the peak during the landfall time which is between October 24 night and October 25 morning,” he added.

Odisha is likely to face a multi-hazard situation when cyclone Dana makes landfall and heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to lash the state, along with a tidal surge of up to 2 meters.