Indian authorities are undertaking a massive evacuation effort, relocating nearly 1.5 million people as Cyclone Dana approaches the eastern states of Odisha and West Bengal.
The cyclone is expected to make landfall within 24 hours, prompting swift action to minimize the damage.
Relief workers have been dispatched in large numbers to provide assistance ahead of the storm’s impact.
Cyclone Dana is intensifying over the Bay of Bengal and is forecasted to develop into a severe cyclonic storm by Thursday evening, according to India’s weather department.
The coastal areas are bracing for destructive winds, expected to reach speeds between 100 and 120 km/h (62-74 mph).
Odisha’s Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Majhi, reassured the public on Wednesday that comprehensive safety measures have been put in place for the districts likely to be affected.
Temporary shelters equipped with food, water, and medical supplies have been prepared. Majhi urged residents, saying, “We are fully prepared to deal with the storm. Don’t panic, be safe and be careful.”
In Odisha, over one million residents from 14 districts are being moved to safety, while West Bengal is evacuating more than 300,000 people from coastal regions.
Local officials, along with rescue teams, are on high alert, ensuring that schools in vulnerable coastal areas have been closed as a precaution.
Air travel and train services have already been severely disrupted.
Flights from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata have been suspended from Thursday evening to Friday morning, while more than 200 train services have been canceled as authorities work to safeguard critical infrastructure.
The fishing community has been particularly affected, with fishermen warned to stay away from the sea.
Contingency measures have also been put in place for Paradip port in Odisha, ensuring the safety of staff and residents near the port area.
Rupak De Chowdhuri, a scientist at the India Meteorological Department Earth System Science Organisation, briefed the media in Kolkata on October 23, 2024, pointing to a screen tracking the cyclone’s movement. “Heavy to very heavy” rainfall is forecasted to lash the coastal areas within the next day.
The states of Odisha and West Bengal have long been vulnerable to severe cyclones. Odisha, in particular, suffered one of its deadliest storms in 1999, when a cyclone claimed over 10,000 lives. More recently, a cyclone that struck both India and Bangladesh last year resulted in at least 16 fatalities.
As the storm draws closer, the people in the path of Cyclone Dana are preparing for the worst while hoping that the relief efforts will mitigate the devastation.
