A race against time is underway in eastern India as Odisha and West Bengal brace for the impending landfall of Cyclone Dana. The storm, which has intensified into a ‘severe cyclonic storm’ in the northwest Bay of Bengal, is currently less than 200 km from the Odisha coast.
Heavy rains and squally winds are already being reported in several areas, while rough sea conditions persist. As Dana barrels towards the coast, authorities have expedited evacuation efforts in coastal districts.
According to the latest bulletin from the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Dana is projected to move north-northwestwards and make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamara Port in Odisha around midnight on October 24th. The IMD has also issued a warning of “isolated extremely heavy rainfall” over coastal Odisha and south Gangetic West Bengal on Thursday and Friday.
Odisha has initiated a massive evacuation plan, aiming to relocate approximately 10 lakh (1 million) people from 14 districts by the evening. As of Wednesday night, around three to four lakh people had already been moved to safety. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has convened a review meeting and instructed officials to prioritize a “zero casualty” outcome during this natural disaster. To support the evacuation efforts, a total of 7,285 cyclone centers have been established across the state, and 91 medical teams have been deployed.
Meanwhile, neighboring West Bengal has identified 2,82,863 people from coastal districts for evacuation. By Wednesday evening, reports indicated that the state had already moved over 1.14 lakh people. “More than 100,000 people have so far been shifted to safer places,” confirmed Bengal minister Bankim Chandra Hazra to AFP.
As Cyclone Dana closes in, the focus remains on ensuring the safety of the millions of people in its path. With the combined efforts of both states, a massive evacuation operation is underway, seeking to minimize the impact of this powerful storm.