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Cyclone Dana, named by Qatar, made landfall over north coastal Odisha, centered around 15 km north of Dhamara and 30 km from Habalikhati Nature Camp in Bhitarkanika. Moving north-northwest at 12 km/h, the storm struck, Dhamra and Bhadrak experienced turbulent seas, gusty winds, and heavy rainfall. India Meteorological Department (IMD) expects the cyclone to gradually weaken to a cyclonic storm.
It is expected to move west-northwest across northern Odisha and gradually weaken into a cyclonic storm on Friday, October 25. Around 5.84 lakh people have been evacuated to shelters, with 5,209 cyclone shelters set up across the state. Special provisions were made for vulnerable groups, including 3,654 pregnant women, who were relocated to nearby hospitals. The cyclone landed between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara and Dhamra in Bhadrak with wind speeds of 110 km/h, bringing widespread heavy rain and high winds.
The IMD has issued a ‘red warning’ for seven districts in Odisha, including Mayurbhanj, Cuttack, Jajpur, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, and Jagatsinghpur. These areas are expected to bear the brunt of the cyclone, with forecasts of heavy to very heavy rainfall. An ‘orange warning’ has been announced for five other districts, including Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, and Dhenkanal, where moderate to heavy rain is expected during this period.
Zero Casualty Mission Successful
On Friday, October 25, 2024, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced that the State successfully achieved its “Zero Casualty Mission,” with no reports of human life lost or injuries resulting from Cyclone Dana, which made landfall on the coast on Thursday night, October 24, 2024.
The Chief Minister stated, “Before the cyclonic system formed in the Bay of Bengal, the Odisha Government set a target of ‘Zero Casualty’ and worked toward this goal from day one.” He added that around six lakh people were evacuated to safer areas, successfully protecting precious lives.
Puri Jagannath Temple Precautions
In Puri, local officials are taking extra precautions to protect the famed 12th-century Jagannath Temple from the cyclone’s impact. District Collector Siddharth S Swain has advised devotees to refrain from visiting the temple during this period, especially those observing the month-long ‘Kartik Brata’ ritual. The temple, which usually sees a large number of visitors, is being fortified to minimize potential damage.
Director-General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra of the IMD noted that the landfall process began on Thursday night and will continue through Friday, with the worst impacts concentrated near the landfall zone. Several districts in neighboring West Bengal and some parts of adjoining states are also experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall.
References:
Image: https://x.com/Indiametdept/status/1849673858464481386/photo/2
Image: Photo by Sanjay Kumar IPS https://x.com/Sanjay97odisha/status/1849664615807868966
Banner Image: https://x.com/Indiametdept/status/1849652448748765497/photo/1
