Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Oct 25: The severe cyclonic storm “Dana” completed its landfall process without causing much of havoc as anticipated except uprooting trees, snapping power lines in several areas and killing a person in West Bengal as it hit the Odisha coast on Friday morning.
The storm made landfall between Bhitarkanika and Dhamra with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph and the system took at least eight and a half hours to enter the landmass, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Heavy, incessant rain lashed the Bhadrak district of Odisha as Cyclone Dana’s landfall process began past midnight on Friday. Gusty winds uprooted trees and blocked several roads in many areas of Odisha.
Odisha and West Bengal were spared from any severe damage to houses and infrastructure the Cyclone, but it was reported that trees and electric poles were reported. Train and flight services resumed in the two states even as the weather system completed landfall on Friday (October 25, 2024) morning, triggering heavy rains in the region.
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi asserted that no fatality report has been received so far and the state achieved its ‘zero casualty mission’, while West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said one person died due to the natural calamity.
“Dana” named by Qatar, weakened considerably after entering the land. Reports of trees getting uprooted and some areas getting inundated were received from Odisha. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi claimed that the state has achieved its “Zero Casualty Mission” as there has been no report regarding any loss of human life or injury due to the severe cyclonic storm.
In neighbouring West Bengal, a person died in the South 24 Parganas district’s Patharpratima. He was working on a cable during the storm when he died. East Midnapore and Kolkata witnessed the impact of the cyclone and reports of waterlogging were received from several areas.
The services at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra International Airport which were suspended on Thursday evening as part of precautionary measures, resumed at 8 am n Friday.
Authorities in both states evacuated lakhs of people, shut schools, cancelled more than 400 trains, and suspended flight operations as they braced for the severe cyclonic storm.
In Odisha, the Mohan Charan Majhi-led government had said that they evacuated about 5.8 lakh people and deployed 385 rescue teams comprising National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) 51, Fire Service and Forest staff, while in Bengal the chief minister Mamata Banerjee said over 2.43 lakh people were provided shelter in camps.
She also stayed the entire Thursday night at the state secretariat and personally monitored the situation.
“The severe cyclonic storm Dana moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph and lay centred over north coastal Odisha, about 15 km north of Dhamara and 30 km north-northwest of Habalikhati nature camp (Bhitarkanika),” the India Meteorological Department (IMD) posted on X.
Several train services were also resumed as cyclone Dana passed off without causing much havoc. 12704 Secunderabad-Howrah Falaknuma Express left Cuttack Station at about 2:40pm.
17016 Secunderabad-Howrah Visakha Express arrived at Bhubaneswar on time. Movement of a few passengers has started in Bhubaneswar. 12840 Chennai-Howrah Coromandal Express left Bhubaneswar at about 1540hrs. The first train from Bhadrak is Bhadrak-Paradeep, departed at 3.30pm from Bhadrak.
11020 Bhubaneswar-Mumbai CSMT Konark Express left Bhubaneswar on Time.
22824 New Delhi-Bhubaneswar Rajdhani express, the first train after the cyclone departed from Bhadrak towards Bhubaneswar at 3:25 pm.
Kendujhargarh-Paradeep MEMU will run from Kendujhargarh at 4:30pm today.
Tatanagar-Brahmapur Vande Bharat via Kendujhargarh is running today as per schedule time.
The first train after cyclone, passed through Talcher Road is 20808 Amritsar-Visakhapatnam Hirakud Express. The first train from Puri after the cyclone Puri-Bangiriposi left Puri at 4:30pm.
“Rain also lashed parts of Jharkhand on Friday under the influence of cyclonic storm Dana,” a Met Department official said. The Kolhan region of Jharkhand comprising West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharswan and East Singhbhum districts witnessed spells of light to moderate rainfall since Thursday night, while other parts of the state are experiencing cloudy weather coupled with intermittent rains. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren said he was continuously monitoring the cyclonic system for the last 24 hours.
Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi urged the Central Government to provide full assistance to the affected states in this hour of crisis. In a Facebook post in Hindi, he said the landfall of Cyclone Dana on the coast of Odisha, its impact on West Bengal and other eastern coastal states and the warning issued by the meteorological department, indicate the possibility of a serious natural disaster.
“Citizens of the affected areas are requested to keep themselves in a safe zone by following the guidelines of the administration,” he said.
“The Central Government is expected to provide full assistance to the affected states in this hour of crisis. Every possible effort should be made to protect the lives and property of the citizens and to prevent any kind of loss,” Mr Gandhi said. He also urged Congress colleagues to fully help the administration in relief work while keeping themselves safe. “The country has to face this crisis unitedly,” Mr Gandhi added.