As cyclonic storm Dana continues to approach the Odisha coast, the India Meteorological Department on Wednesday predicted that as many as three districts in the State- Kendrapara, Balasore and Bhadrak are likely to be the most affected.

As per the latest update by IMD’s regional centre in Bhubaneswar, Balasore, Bhadrak and Kendrapara will experience maximum wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting up to 120 kmph during the landfall of the cyclone.

“While Mayurbhanj district may experience wind speeds of 80-90 kmph; Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack and Jajpur districts may witness wind speeds of 60-80 kmph on October 24-25. Puri, Khordha, Dhenkanal and Keonjhar districts are likely to experience wind speeds of 60-70 kmph. Sundargarh is likely to witness wind speed of 50-60 kmph. Ganjam, Nayagarh, Angul, Deogarh and Sambalpur districts are likely to experience wind speeds of 40-50 kmph,” said Manorama Mohanty, Director of IMD’s Bhubaneswar regional centre.

“Besides, port warning has been issued and port signal has also been hoisted. Great danger signal number 10 has been hoisted in Paradip, Dhamra and Puri ports. Great danger signal number 8 has been hoisted in Gopalpur port. Several parts of Odisha are likely to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall during the period. Many parts of the State are currently witnessing heavy rain and it is likely to continue overnight,” she further said.

Cyclone Dana: Emergency helpline numbers for Odisha

“Some places in Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Khordha, Puri and Ganjam districts will experience heavy rainfall coupled with lightning and thunderstorms today. A Red Warning has been issued for heavy to very heavy rainfall in some places of Puri, Khordha Nayagarh, Keonjhar, and Dhenkanal districts on Thursday. A yellow warning has been issued for districts like Sundargarh, Deogarh, Angul, Boudh, Kandhamal and Ganjam districts. Red warning has also been issued for Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Bhadrak and Balasore districts for Friday. An orange alert has been issued for the Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal and Angul districts. A yellow alert has been issued for Puri, Khordha, Deogarh, Sambalpur, Jharsuguda and Sundargarh districts,” she added.

As per the latest IMD bulletin, the cyclonic storm “DANA” (pronounced as Dana) over the east-central Bay of Bengal moved northwest-wards with a speed of 12 kmph during the past 6 hours and lay centred at 1430 hrs IST of today, the 23rd October, over the east-central & adjoining west-central Bay of Bengal about 460 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 490 km south-southeast of Dhamara (Odisha) and 540 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal).

 It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over northwest Bay of Bengal by early morning of 24th and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamara (Odisha) during night of 24th to morning of 25th October 2024 as a severe Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting up to 120 kmph.