Bhubaneswar: The severe cyclonic storm 'Dana' began making landfall on Odisha’s coast on Thursday night, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The process is expected to last until Friday morning.
The coastal districts of Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Balasore, and Jagatsinghpur have already experienced heavy rainfall and wind speeds ranging from 100 to 110 kmph. The Special Relief Commissioner's office reported instances of uprooted trees, but no major damage or casualties have been recorded so far.
Moving north-northwest at 15 kmph over the last six hours, the storm made landfall between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara and Dhamra in Bhadrak, with winds reaching 110 kmph, an IMD official said. “The forward section of the cyclone’s wall cloud has begun entering the coast. This process will continue until Friday morning," Umashankar Das, senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, told PTI.
Wind speeds are expected to reach up to 120 kmph as the cyclone’s center hits land, with the landfall process predicted to last four to five hours. The IMD is closely monitoring the system using the Doppler weather radar at Paradip.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have been briefed on the state's preparedness. Around 5.84 lakh people have been evacuated from high-risk areas in coastal districts ahead of the cyclone.
IMD Director General Mrutunjay Mohapatra warned that wind speeds could reach 120 kmph and that tidal surges in Kendrapara, Balasore, and Bhadrak could rise by up to two meters above normal levels. The cyclone is expected to weaken on Friday as it moves inland, bringing heavy rainfall across the region.
Gusts of 100-110 kmph are forecasted to persist along Odisha’s northern coast until Friday morning before gradually subsiding. Southern coastal regions may see wind speeds of 60-80 kmph. Heavy rain is expected in most areas, with extremely heavy rainfall likely in Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Kendrapada, and nearby districts through October 25.
