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Cyclone Dana Makes Landfall in Odisha: High Winds and Heavy Rain Cause Disruptions; Emergency Services Mobilized, Relief Efforts Underway
Cyclone Dana made landfall on the Odisha coast early Friday morning. The storm struck around midnight between Kendrapara's Bhitarkanika and Dhamra in Bhadrak, with wind speeds reaching 100-110 km/h.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the landfall process began around midnight, affecting districts including Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Balasore, and Jagatsinghpur, where wind speeds peaked at 110 km/h and heavy rainfall ensued. By 10 am, the IMD confirmed that the landfall was complete, taking approximately eight and a half hours for the system to fully enter the landmass. Rain and strong winds continued to affect various parts of Odisha, leading to significant disruptions.
The cyclone's impact also reached neighboring West Bengal, particularly East Midnapore. In preparation, Bhubaneswar's Biju Patnaik International Airport and Kolkata's Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport had suspended operations on Thursday evening but resumed services at 8 am Friday.
In response to the storm, authorities in both Odisha and West Bengal evacuated hundreds of thousands, closed schools, canceled over 400 trains, and grounded flights. In Odisha, about 580,000 people were evacuated, and the government deployed 385 rescue teams, including those from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF).
In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reported that over 243,000 individuals sought shelter in temporary camps. She personally monitored the situation, remaining at the state secretariat throughout Thursday night.
Preliminary reports indicated uprooted trees and localized flooding across Odisha, but Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced the state achieved its "Zero Casualty Mission," with no reported loss of life or injuries.
Following the cyclone's landfall, restoration and relief operations are underway. NDRF teams are actively clearing fallen trees in villages around Dhamra, where residents continue to deal with rough seas and severe weather conditions. Cyclone Dana is expected to weaken gradually over the next six hours, according to weather officials.
