BHUBANESWAR: Landfall process of severe cyclonic storm Dana has started in Odisha and is likely to continue till Friday morning, an IMD official has confirmed.
Cyclone Dana's landfall process started past midnight.
The severe cyclonic storm lay centred at 330am over 20 km north-northeast of Bhitarkanika and the landfall process would continue for the next 2-3 hours, the IMD tweeted.
"The landfall started with the entry of the outer cloud mass of the system. When the centre of the system reaches land, wind speeds are expected to reach 120 kmph," Umashankar Das, a senior scientist at the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, told PTI.
The state government has already evacuated 5.84 lakh people to cyclone shelters, as Dana is predicted to affect three districts with wind speeds of up to 120 km per hour.
Though no major damage had been reported at the time of this update, heavy rain and strong winds have uprooted trees in Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Fire and Emergency Service, and other agencies have been mobilized to clear roads and remove debris.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to assess the state’s preparedness.
During their conversation, Majhi detailed the evacuation efforts and the deployment of ministers and senior officers to monitor relief, rescue, and post-cyclone restoration at the ground level. He assured the Prime Minister that the state is fully equipped to tackle the storm, with NDRF, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), and fire service teams positioned in vulnerable districts.
The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with Odisha’s readiness. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also discussed the situation with the Chief Minister, promising full support from the Centre.
Chief Minister Majhi earlier reviewed the cyclone preparedness with district collectors of Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Cuttack, Khurda, and Jajpur.
He said that Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore districts are likely to face the brunt of the storm, according to forecasts from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari informed the media that 2,131 villages from 60 blocks and 55 wards from 12 urban local bodies (ULBs) would be affected by Dana. He added that the government had planned to relocate around 4 lakh people to shelters, and over 90 per cent of the evacuation had been completed.
As of 9.30 pm, Cyclone Dana was moving in a north-northwest direction at a speed of 15 km per hour, positioned over the northwest Bay of Bengal, about 60 km east of Paradip and 90 km south-southeast of Dhamra.
The IMD reported sustained winds of 105-115 km per hour, gusting up to 125 km per hour.
According to Manorama Mohanty, director of the Bhubaneswar Meteorological Centre, Dana is expected to make landfall along the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts near Bhitarkanika and Dhamra as a severe cyclonic storm. Winds could reach speeds of 100-110 km per hour, with gusts of up to 120 km per hour during landfall.
Dana is likely to maintain its intensity as a severe storm until Friday morning, after which it will weaken into a cyclonic storm.
Weather experts noted that although the storm developed into a severe cyclone with wind speeds exceeding 100 km per hour, the relatively high pressure at sea level prevented it from intensifying further.
The storm briefly displayed an "eye" formation, but a high-pressure system over the Arabian Sea hindered its cloud bands from extending overland. After making landfall, the system may recurve west-southwestward, potentially bringing rain to the central and southern districts of Odisha on Saturday. This re-curvature is attributed to the high-pressure system over the Arabian Sea.
In the last 24 hours, Paradip recorded 62.9 mm of rain, while Chandbali received 46.2 mm.
Government intensifies relief measures, distributes 862 quintal flattened rice
The state government has intensified relief efforts by distributing 862 quintals of flattened rice and 97 quintals of jaggery to households in districts likely to be affected by the tropical storm.
Sources indicate that approximately 321 quintals of flattened rice and 57 quintals of jaggery were distributed in Bhadrak district alone.
Relief materials were also provided in parts of Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Balasore, and Mayurbhanj districts.
"As part of the relief efforts, around 1,430 packets of biscuits and 7,250 water bottles were distributed among residents of coastal areas. Approximately 37,070 people were evacuated to 713 temporary shelters and were also served cooked food," said Bhadrak collector Dillip Routray.
The district administration sought the assistance of police to evacuate residents of eight villages in Chandabali, as they were initially reluctant to leave their homes, he added.
Balasore collector Mayur Suryawanshi said that cooked food was served to over 1 lakh evacuees in cyclone shelters.
Baby food was also arranged for infants, and feed was provided for cattle brought by some evacuees to the transit shelters.
On Friday, the Indian Red Cross Society, Odisha branch, prepared 5,000 relief packets containing dry food and other essentials for distribution among those in cyclone-affected districts. Each packet included flattened rice, chhatua, two water bottles, and candles, among other items. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi visited the Red Cross Bhawan in the state capital to oversee the packaging process.
Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA) Executive Director Kamal Lochan Mishra stated that relief measures will be scaled up in districts expected to experience greater cyclone impact.
DRDO, Navy mobilise resources ahead of Dana landfall
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) mobilised its resources at the country’s largest missile testing facility, the Integrated Test Range (ITR), to address any eventualities arising from Cyclone Dana and to extend disaster management support to the district administration.
Sources reported that more than 300 scientists, technical staff, and defence personnel were evacuated from Abdul Kalam Island off the Dhamra coast.
All arrangements have been made to ensure the safety of systems at the test facility, including the missile assembly unit and mission control room. India conducts test firings of all long-range missiles from this island.
Material handling equipment and dedicated teams have been deployed to strategic locations to meet challenges that may arise due to the cyclone, providing support to affected areas and performing emergency evacuations as needed.
The ITR, equipped with its own weather station, has been monitoring the cyclone's development and tracking its trajectory using world-class Doppler weather radar (DWR) in consultation with the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
Director Suchendar Katari reviewed the preparedness alongside the heads of other defence establishments, including the Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE), Estate Management Unit (EMU), Project Management Unit (PMU), and Military Engineering Services (MES).
"As per the predicted trajectory and possible wind speed associated with the cyclone, all important defence installations and instruments have been safeguarded well in advance against potential damage," a defence official said.
Meanwhile, the Indian Navy has geared up for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations in districts likely to be affected by the cyclone. The Eastern Naval Command, in coordination with Naval Officers-in-Charge (NOIC) in Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and West Bengal, has activated a comprehensive disaster response mechanism.
The command is working closely with units such as the Base Victualling Yard (BVY), Material Organisation, and the naval hospital INHS Kalyani to provide essential supplies and medical support as needed.
"Flood relief and diving teams are also being mobilised to assist in rescue and relief operations. Two ships from the eastern fleet have been placed on standby with supplies, rescue, and diving teams to support relief efforts from the sea," a statement issued by the Navy confirmed.