Cyclone 'Dana' makes landfall, Odisha and Bengal on alert: All you need to know

NEW DELHI: "Severe cyclonic storm Dana" which made its landfall on the Odisha coast on Thursday night has moved north-northwestwards, about 15 km north of Dhamara and 30 km north-northwest of Habalikhati nature camp (Bhitarkanika) as of Friday morning, the India Meteorological Department ( IMD ) said.

The gusty winds and heavy downpours caused several disruptions with trees getting uprooted leading to several roads getting blocked. The IMD had said that the landfall process would continue for the next 1-2 hours, before it gradually weakens into a cyclonic storm by forenoon.


Here are the latest updates:

• According to the IMD, the landfall process continues and the rear sector of the cyclone is entering into land
• The landfall process would continue for next 1-2 hours
• It is expected to weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by forenoon of today
• Odisha has undertaken extensive measures to mitigate the cyclone's effects, establishing 5,209 cyclone shelters and evacuating more than 3,62,000 individuals from high-risk areas. Among them, 3,654 pregnant women have been safely relocated to nearby hospitals
• Six hours before the cyclone made landfall, its outer bands had enveloped Odisha’s coastal areas, bringing widespread rain and strong winds on Thursday evening. In Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts, trees were uprooted, and power infrastructure was damaged in some areas, while disaster response teams carefully worked to clear road obstructions
• A total of over 4 lakh people have been evacuated in Odisha, while roughly the same number of people have taken refuge in West Bengal
• West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that the state had identified over 3.5 lakh people for evacuation from low-lying areas
• Flight operations at Kolkata Airport were suspended from 6 pm on Thursday until 9 am on Friday, while Bhubaneswar Airport was also shut from 5 pm on Thursday to 9 am on Friday
• Over 400 trains passing through the two neighbouring states have been cancelled in response to the cyclone
• South Bengal districts, including Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, and the 24 Parganas, have started experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall and gusty winds, with weather conditions expected to deteriorate further
• Fishermen were advised to avoid venturing into the sea, as the Met Department reported gale winds with speeds of 90-100 kmph, gusting up to 110 kmph, prevailing over the northwest Bay of Bengal
• Educational institutions in Odisha, Bengal and Jharkhand have been directed to remain closed on Friday