As Odisha and West Bengal are bracing for a severe cyclonic storm, the government of both states has closed all educational institutes in vulnerable areas. According to the information, the West Bengal government has declared holidays for all schools and colleges in nine districts including East Midnapore, West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Jhargram, Bankura, Hooghly, Howrah, and Kolkata. Similarly, the Odisha government has closed all educational institutions in 14 districts in view of the impending cyclone. All academic institutions in both states will remain closed from October 23 to 25. This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure and in the interest of students.
Weather update
According to the weather forecast department, a deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal intensified into a cyclonic storm 'Dana' on Wednesday morning. The storm is expected to move in a northwestward direction, intensify further into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal and cross the Odisha-West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island in the early hours of October 25 with wind speeds of up to 120 kmph, the IMD said.
The system lay 560 km southeast of Paradip and 630 km south-southeast of Sagar Island at 5.30 am, it said. Advising fishermen not to venture into the sea from October 23 to 25, the Met warned that wind speed is likely to reach 60 kilometres per hour (kmph) along and off Odisha-West Bengal coasts from October 23 and gradually increase to 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph, from October 24 night till October 25 morning.
Over 150 trains cancelled
According to the South Eastern Region Official, more than 150 express/passenger trains running through South Eastern Railway jurisdiction have been cancelled in view of the severe cyclonic storm. The trains cancelled include Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, Kamakhya-Yesvantpur AC Express, Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express, Howrah-Bhubaneswar Shatabdi Express and Howrah-Yesvantpur Express.
The East Coast Railways has also cancelled as many as 198 trains passing through and originating from Odisha.
(Inputs from agencies)
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