As Odisha and West Bengal brace for the arrival of Cyclone Dana, authorities in both states have begun evacuating residents from areas expected to be affected. The cyclone is predicted to make landfall between Odisha’s Puri and West Bengal’s Sagar Island between Thursday night and Friday morning.

Rescue teams, including the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), have been deployed to both states, and educational institutions have been shut in vulnerable regions.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal strengthened into Cyclone Dana at around 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday. The storm is currently positioned approximately 560 km from Paradip in Odisha and 630 km from Sagar Island in West Bengal.

The cyclone is forecast to intensify into a severe storm by Thursday morning, with expected wind speeds of 100-110 km/h, gusting up to 120 km/h. Heavy rain and strong winds are likely to impact coastal areas, particularly in Odisha, according to IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.

Key developments as Odisha and Bengal prepare for Cyclone Dana:

A total of 20 NDRF teams have been deployed in Odisha, along with 14 teams in West Bengal, in anticipation of the storm.

Additional rescue teams from the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard are on standby, along with ships and aircraft ready to assist.

Ports at Gopalpur, Paradip, and Dhamara in Odisha have been placed under Distance Cautionary signals.

The Indian Coast Guard is on high alert, broadcasting safety warnings to fishermen and mariners from its stations in Haldia and Paradip.

In Odisha, 20 NDRF teams, 51 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams, and 178 fire service teams have been dispatched to at-risk areas. Over 10 lakh people are expected to be relocated from 3,000 villages across 14 districts to relief shelters.

The West Bengal government has placed seven districts, including South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur, on high alert, with schools closed from Wednesday to Saturday.

Over 150 trains in the South Eastern Railway zone, including Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express and Howrah-Yesvantpur Express, have been canceled due to the cyclone.

The Odisha government has announced the temporary closure of the Similipal Tiger Reserve and Bhitarkanika National Park, both of which are in high-risk areas.

Odisha’s Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, Suresh Pujari, stated that over 5,000 relief centers have been established to provide essential services such as food, water, and medical care. Schools, colleges, and universities across 14 districts in Odisha will remain closed from Wednesday to Friday in light of the approaching storm.Fishermen pulling their boat off the sea coast in Puri ahead of Cyclone Dana.