Over 1,600 pregnant women relocated due to Cyclone Dana gave birth: Odisha CM

Cyclone Dana made landfall in Odisha, prompting the evacuation of over 584,000 people. Chief Minister Majhi confirmed the state's preparedness and PM Modi assured full support.

Gargi Chaudhry

First Published Oct 25, 2024, 9:45 AM IST | Last Updated Oct 25, 2024, 9:45 AM IST

Cyclone Dana made landfall in Odisha as a severe cyclonic storm in the early hours of Friday, bringing with itself heavy rain and fierce winds. It is anticipated that the landfall process would go until Friday, at which point it will gradually wane into a cyclonic storm. Thousands of residents in the coastal regions of Odisha were relocated to safety centers. According to an announcement made by Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday, the total comprised about 4,500 expectant women, 1,600 of whom had already given birth.

The state has evacuated a total of 584,888 people, with that number expected to exceed 600,000 by Friday morning. According to Majhi, there are already 6,008 cyclone shelters where evacuees are living and getting basic necessities including food, medication, and water. With 172,916 persons moved to safety, the Balasore district had the largest evacuation, he said, followed by Mayurbhanj with 100,000. Over 46,000 people were evacuated from Kendrapara, 58,000 from Jajpur, and 75,000 from Bhadrak.

The chief minister clarified that the initial target was to evacuate one million people, which was adjusted in response to the cyclone's changing trajectory. "We have successfully evacuated all people from high-risk areas," Majhi stated.

PM Modi assures all support to Odisha

Majhi also updated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the state's preparedness, stating that the Centre was satisfied with the measures taken by the Odisha government. As the state continues to experience severe weather conditions brought on by the cyclone, PM Modi has promised the Odisha government that he will provide all assistance available.

All refugees receive safety and medical attention from disaster response personnel that stay on the ground. Shortly after Cyclone Dana hit Odisha, many footage of the state's infrastructure being devastated and trees being uprooted went viral.

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