Cyclone Dana: NDRF teams on alert, helpline numbers issued; how has Odisha Govt prepared for landfall
The Odisha and West Bengal governments have expedited the evacuation of people from coastal areas as the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm 'Dana' on Wednesday morning.
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FollowThe India Meteorological Department (IMD), has said that the cyclonic storm 'Dana' is expected to hit Odisha's coast between Bhitarkanika Park and Dhamra Port from the night of October 24 to the morning of October 25. The Odisha and West Bengal governments have expedited the evacuation of people from coastal areas as the deep depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified into cyclonic storm 'Dana' on Wednesday morning.
Wind speeds are expected to reach 100-110 kmph, gusting to 120 kmph during the cyclone's landfall, the weather body said in its press statement.
Clearly, Authorities in Odisha are racing against time to evacuate about 10 lakh people from several coastal districts before cyclone Dana's expected landfall in the state tonight. Nearly half of the state's population is at risk from the cyclonic storm.
According to news agency ANI, ahead of the landfall, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said, "Our target is zero casualties. Work is underway to ensure 100% evacuation. Till now, more than 3 lakh people have been evacuated. More than 2,300 pregnant women have been moved to safer places. More than 7000 cyclone shelters are ready. Adequate medical and veterinary teams also deployed. Police deployed to give a sense of security to the people. DG set, Gensets and Inverters stationed at district hospitals to ensure power supply."
"NDRF and ODRAF teams are deployed in the affected districts. Each minister has been deployed in the 10 districts to oversee the operations. Landfall of the cyclone is expected near Dhamra Port and Bhitarkanika..," he added.
Also read: Cyclone Dana landfall likely tonight; Kolkata, Bhubaneshwar airports to suspend ops
Meanwhile, district-wise helpline numbers have been issued in Odisha to cater to any emergency.
Bhubaneswar and Kolkata airport to halt operations
The Bhubaneswar airport will halt flight operations from 5 p.m. today until 9 a.m. on Friday, while the Kolkata airport will halt operations from 6 p.m. on Thursday until 9 a.m. tomorrow. Following the storm, about 200 trains that were scheduled to pass through the two neighboring states have been canceled.
Due to the cyclone, the East Coast Railway has canceled 198 trains from Wednesday till Friday. Additionally, the Eastern Railway declared that from 8 pm on Thursday to 10 am on Friday, it will not run 190 local trains in Bengal's Sealdah division. More than 150 trains that are coming from Odisha have been canceled by the South Eastern Railway.
In West Bengal and Odisha, National Disaster Response Force teams have been positioned on standby. Other rescuers from the Army, Navy, and Indian Coast Guard have also been sent in.
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