Odisha & West Bengal on high alert as severe storm expected to make landfall on Oct 25
OdishaPlus Bureau
The governments of Odisha and West Bengal, along with the Coast Guard, NDRF and various rescue agencies, are on high alert as a depression in the Bay of Bengal has escalated into a deep depression, with the potential to develop into a cyclonic storm expected to impact India’s eastern coastline on October 25.
In response to the impending threat, all educational institutions in the coastal districts of both states have been closed and evacuation procedures are underway for areas anticipated to experience the most severe effects of the cyclone.
The depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a deep depression on Tuesday evening. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated that it is expected to evolve into a severe cyclonic storm, making landfall along the Odisha-West Bengal coasts in the early hours of October 25, with wind speeds ranging from 100 to 110 kmph, potentially gusting up to 120 kmph.
Government officials and rescue teams have commenced the evacuation of residents from regions likely to be heavily impacted by the cyclone. To accommodate the relocation of approximately 1 million individuals, various multipurpose cyclone shelters, flood shelters and other facilities have been identified and readied for use as temporary relief camps.
Suresh Pujari, Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management, Govt. of Odisha, stated that provisions for food, drinking water, lighting, sanitation and health services have been arranged for those being evacuated to these shelters.
The IMD forecast indicates that cyclone Dana is expected to significantly affect fourteen districts in Odisha, namely Angul, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Ganjam and Mayurbhanj. In West Bengal, the districts of South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur, along with coastal regions and adjacent districts such as Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Jhargram and Hooghly, are anticipated to experience the most severe consequences of the approaching cyclone.
