Cyclone Dana has severely impacted normal life in Odisha's capital Bhubaneswar, as the city faces intense winds and heavy rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the cyclone is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port late Thursday night or early Friday morning. The cyclone has led to the suspension of several services and major disruptions across the region. A low-density vehicular movement was noticed in the state capital, while a few people were spotted in the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bus Terminal in the city, airport and railway station.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also reviewed the state's preparedness for the approaching cyclone Dana with Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and reassured central support. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) Deputy Inspector General Mohsen Shahedi said that 20 teams are deployed in Odisha and 17 teams in West Bengal in preparation for severe cyclonic storm Dana's landfall.
Authorities have urged residents to stay indoors and avoid venturing out unless absolutely necessary. Emergency teams are on high alert, and the state government has activated disaster management protocols to handle any potential crises. Meanwhile, train services have been cancelled as a precautionary measure, affecting connectivity between cities. Additionally, flight operations at Biju Patnaik International Airport have been temporarily suspended, causing inconvenience to passengers and travel disruptions.
Several trains cancelled
A low-density vehicular movement was noticed in the state capital, while a few people were spotted in the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bus Terminal in the city, airport and railway station. A few passengers in the busy Bhubaneswar railway station were spotted as the East Coast Railway (ECoR) cancelled 203 trains. Some tourists were seen taking shelter in the station. “We have visited Jagannath temple in Puri and are scheduled to return to our home through a train. But, we got a message that our train had been cancelled. So we are taking shelter here,” said a tourist from Maharashtra.
Flight services affected
The Bhubaneswar airport authorities decided to suspend flight operations from 5 pm on October 24 to 9 am on October 25 in view of cyclone Dana. During the 16-hour flight suspension, about 40 flights, both domestic and international, will be affected, disrupting travel plans for many passengers, another official said.
The state government closed all educational institutions in Bhubaneswar from October 23 to 25. Government offices, banks, shops, malls and commercial establishments remained open but there were fewer crowds than normal days. Even the state-run Capital Hospital in the city witnessed "very minimal footfall" during the day, an official of the health facility said.
When will Cyclone Dana make landfall?
As per the prediction made by the IMD, the cyclone is set to make landfall on Thursday midnight. The meteorological department has also predicted strong wind and heavy rainfall in Bhubaneswar, which is not safe for flight operations. According to the forecast made by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclonic storm will make landfall between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara district and Dhamra in Bhadrak early on Friday with a wind speed up to 120 kmph. The BMC along with the fire-fighting team deployed pumps to suck rainwater from several low-lying vulnerable locations in the city. In view of the cyclone, the high mast lights at several places across the city have also been lowered, officials said.
(With inputs from agencies)
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