As Cyclone Dana advances toward the Odisha coast, more than 1.14 lakh people in West Bengal have been evacuated to safer shelters, officials confirmed on Wednesday. The cyclone is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha by Friday morning, with wind speeds predicted to reach up to 120 kmph (75 mph), according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
The coastal regions of West Bengal and Odisha are bracing for the impact, with heavy to very heavy rainfall and strong winds forecast for October 24 and 25. IMD Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that the landfall process will begin late on October 24 and continue through the early hours of October 25, with wind speeds peaking at 120 kmph.
In response to the cyclone, several precautionary measures have been put in place. Flight operations at Kolkata airport will be suspended for 15 hours starting at 6 pm on Thursday until 9 am on Friday. Eastern Railway has also cancelled 190 local trains in its Sealdah division between 8 pm on Thursday and 10 am on Friday to ensure passenger safety.
West Bengal’s coastal districts, including Bankura, Hooghly, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Paschim and Purba Medinipur, and Kolkata, are under high alert. The state government has identified 2,82,863 people for evacuation from these areas. So far, 1,14,613 residents, primarily from the coastal regions of South 24 Parganas, including Sagar Island, the Sundarbans, and Kakdwip, have been safely relocated.
State Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose assured that the government is working tirelessly to manage the situation. “We are working round the clock to ensure the safety of residents in the affected areas,” Bose said.
To support the evacuation and relief efforts, 13 battalions from the state’s disaster management force and 14 battalions from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed across the coastal regions of West Bengal and Odisha. Emergency response teams are on high alert to deal with any potential fallout from the cyclone.
As Cyclone Dana approaches, residents in the affected regions are urged to stay indoors, follow government advisories, and remain updated on weather alerts for any sudden changes in the storm’s trajectory.
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