All you need to know about the storm
Key points about Cyclone Dana: It is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm and hit Odisha between Thursday night and Friday morning, as per the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
The tropical cyclone, Cyclone Dana, is forecasted to have wind speeds ranging from 100 to 110 kmph, with gusts reaching up to 120 kmph. Tropical cyclones are regarded as the most destructive storms on Earth, forming in areas between the Tropics of Capricorn and Cancer. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration explains that cyclones form when thunderstorms develop near the center of circulation, rather than in a distant outer band.
Here is all the information you need to understand Cyclone Dana.
From where does it derive its name?
Qatar proposed to WMO/ESCAP the name Dana for tropical cyclones in the region, which means “generosity” in Arabic, following standard naming conventions. WMO/ESCAP is made up of a total of 13 countries, which consist of Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The first group united in 2000, while the second group came together in 2018.
At what location will Cyclone Dana hit land?
The current storm over east-central Bay of Bengal is expected to become a severe cyclonic storm and hit land between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port.
In a post on X, IMD said, Cyclone Dana “is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over northwest Bay of Bengal by early morning of 24th and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island close to Bhitarkanika-Dhamra (Odisha) during night of 24th to morning of 25th October, 2024 as a severe Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph.”
What areas will be affected?
The state of Odisha
The cyclone will likely cause light to moderate rainfall in majority of areas, with extremely heavy rainfall in specific locations within several districts of Odisha on 24th and 25th October. The Met Department predicted that the districts of Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore will bear the brunt of the cyclone, with other coastal and interior districts also likely to experience rainfall during the same time.
WEST BENGAL
A cyclonic storm is likely to cause heavy rain in specific areas of South and North 24 Parganas, East and West Medinipur, Jhargram, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata, and Bankura districts of Gangetic West Bengal.
Efforts to evacuate and ensure safety
Odisha has successfully moved more than one million individuals from regions expected to be impacted by Cyclone Dana, with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi instructing district administrations to finish the evacuation operation.
Suresh Pujari, the Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management in Odisha, has announced that more than 3,000 at-risk areas (villages) in 14 districts, mainly along the coast, have been pinpointed and evacuation measures have been initiated. It was mentioned that up to 10,60,336 individuals may be evacuated before Cyclone Dana hits land.
While senior IAS officials are overseeing the situation, the Odisha government has allocated nine districts to nine ministers to oversee relief and rescue efforts on the field.
Moreover, being the second biggest mangrove ecosystem following the Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika is predicted to encounter the landfall, according to Sudarshan Gopinath Jadhav, DFO of the mangrove wildlife division in Rajnagar, who mentioned, “In case of rising water levels, crocodiles might migrate towards human habitats.” We have created two groups, each consisting of seven individuals, and supplied them with gear to save crocodiles. Five additional teams have been established to rescue snakes from places where humans live.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi urged district administrations to speed up the evacuation process. Following an assessment of the situation, he assured the media, “The state government is fully equipped to handle any situation.” I encourage individuals to refrain from panicking. You are protected. We have been carefully observing the situation using various systems.
Meanwhile, Naveen Patnaik, the former Chief Minister and leader of BJD, mentioned that being aware and cautious will keep us safe from the upcoming storm ‘dana’. We have faced numerous storms and consistently persevered with resilience. Just like in previous storms, it is important to take necessary precautions to ensure our safety this time as well. Caring for yourself and the people you care about. “Do not be afraid, let’s all stay watchful,” he stated in a message on X.
Trains and flights experiencing disruptions
On Wednesday, officials from the airport announced that there will be no flights operating at Kolkata Airport from 6 pm on October 24 until 9 am on October 25. All parties involved, such as ATC, CNS, and other important airport personnel, made a unanimous decision to halt operations in order to prioritize the safety of passengers and aircraft.
At the same time, more than 300 trains have been terminated and the Eastern Railway has also chosen to halt all nearby train services from Sealdah station beginning at 8 pm on Thursday until 10 am on Friday.
Authorities explained that the choice was made as a preventative step to ensure the well-being of travelers in the Sealdah region, which covers six districts in West Bengal: North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Kolkata, and Howrah.
How about the visitors in Odisha and Bengal?
Tourists and pilgrims from coastal areas have been advised to evacuate as rain hits West Bengal and Odisha, leading to the cancellation of all trains on the Sealdah South line and Barasat-Hasnabad line.
At the same time, popular places like Nandankanan Zoo and State Botanical Garden will be shut for visitors on Thursday and Friday. The closure of Similipal Tiger Reserve and Bhitarkanika National Park for tourists from October 23 to 25 was also ordered by the authorities due to the approaching storm.
Can you remember the most recent cyclone that struck this area?
On May 29, the first significant tropical cyclone of the year, Cyclone Remal, hit the West Bengal coastline. Despite the presence of efficient early warning systems and timely evacuations to minimize human casualties, the disaster resulted in the deaths of at least 16 individuals in Bangladesh and India. Severe rainfall from the cyclone led to landslides in multiple locations across Meghalaya, Mizoram, Assam, and Nagaland, causing the deaths of 30 individuals.
The IMD had stated that heavy rainfall was probable in parts of West Bengal and northeastern states as Remal weakened to a deep depression, following Cyclone Dana.
Leave a Reply