Cyclone ‘Dana’ which is expected to make landfall between Puri in Odisha and Sagar Islands in West Bengal on October 25, 2024, will will have its impact felt in the coastal districts of Purba Medinipur and South 24 Parganas (located to the right of the cyclonic movement). According to information till now, the coastal township of Odisha would be affected.
The South Eastern Railways have cancelled a large number of trains. All trains from Sealdah South towards Namkhana, Canning, Sagar etc will be suspended after evening of October 24th till 25th. Trains have been cancelled to and from Puri. Many people are reported stranded in the temple town of Puri.
The condition of sea in the cyclonic zone will experience a rough to very rough from 23rd evening and would become high to very high from 24th October morning to 25th forenoon. Fisherfolk have been asked not to venture out to sea during the period.
Administration has ordered the closing of schools and cancelation of more than 150 trains in the area near Odisha and West Bengal. The wind speeds of up to 120 kmph will cast its spell. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that a deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal has intensified into a cyclonic storm ‘Dana’.
The IMD on October 22, said the depression over the east central Bay of Bengal set to turn into a severe cyclonic storm ‘Dana’ is likely to make landfall close to Baleshwar, more specifically Dhamra port. It will then slightly curve towards Odisha.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has asked all MLAs to visit their respective assembly segments and assist with rescue and relief efforts. He has assigned nine ministers to districts expected to be heavily impacted by Cyclone ‘Dana’.
The expected speed at landfall will be 100-110 km per hour gusting to 120 kmph. The landfall is expected to occur within “night of October 24th to morning of October 25th according to IMD officials.
A IMD bulletin said, “Light to moderate rainfall at most places with heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely on October 23 and heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall at isolated places over South & North 24 Parganas, Purba & Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Howrah, Hooghly, Kolkata and Bankura districts of Gangetic West Bengal on 24th & 25th October.”
“It will then gradually increase to “60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from 24th morning and reaching 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph from 24th night till 25th Oct morning and decrease gradually thereafter,” the bulletin said.
On the evening of October 24 and 25 morning, the velocity of wind may reach 100 to 110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph over Purba Medinipur; 80 to 90 kmph gusting to 110 kmph over Sagar and the rest of the Sundarbans in South 24 parganas; 70 to 80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph over Paschim Medinipur and other areas of South 24 parganas; and 50 to 60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph over Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, Howrah, Hoogly and Bankura districts.
Kolkata will experience heavy to very heavy rainfall and gusting winds. Ferry services across West Bengal (depending on the time of cyclone) including Kolkata will remain suspended on October 24. Services will resume after the landfall.
