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Over a million people have been evacuated and flights and trains have been suspended as India’s eastern regions braced for a severe cyclone.
Cyclone Dana is expected to hammer the low-lying regions of West Bengal and Odisha, home to around 150 million people, as a “severe cyclonic storm” late on Thursday or Friday morning, India’s weather bureau said.
At least 1.1 million people on India’s eastern coast were fleeing to storm shelters inland, just hours before the storm’s arrival.
The cyclone is travelling over the Bay of Bengal at a speed of 12kmph (7mph), about 260km (160miles) southeast of Odisha’s largest port of Paradip.
Officials predict winds gusting up to 120kmph (74mph).
“Heavy rainfall is expected, wind speed will slowly increase, and the highest wind speed is likely to occur tonight,” Director IMD, Manorama Mohanty, told ANI news agency.
More than 200 trains have been cancelled and flights to and from the capital cities of both states – Kolkata and Bhubaneswar – will also remain suspended from Thursday evening to Friday morning.
Flights suspended in Odisha and West Bengal
Flights and trains were suspended as India’s eastern regions braced for a severe cyclone, called Dana, on Thursday.
The international airport in Kolkata, capital of West Bengal, suspended all flight operations for 15 hours from 6pm local time (12.30pm GMT) on Thursday to 9am Friday.
The Bhubaneshwar airport in Odisha shut flight operations for 16 hours starting 5pm on Thursday (11.30am GMT) to 9am on Friday.
Stuti Mishra24 October 2024 09:06
When and where is Cyclone Dana making landfall?
Cyclone Dana is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port early on Friday, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).
The landfall process will begin from Thursday night, lashing the eastern states of West Bengal and Odisha with heavy rainfall. Coastal areas can see a tidal surge of up to 2 metres.
The maximum speed during the landfall process is likely to be around 120 kmph, IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.
“Therefore, heavy rainfall, wind and storm surge will reach the peak during the landfall time which is between October 24 night and October 25 morning,” he added.
Stuti Mishra24 October 2024 08:43
Over a million people evacuate as Cyclone Dana inches closer to India’s eastern coast
Cyclone Dana is expected to hammer the low-lying regions of West Bengal and Odisha, home to around 150 million people, as a “severe cyclonic storm” late on Thursday or Friday morning, India’s weather bureau said.
At least 1.1 million people on India’s eastern coast were fleeing to storm shelters inland, just hours before the storm’s arrival.
The cyclone is travelling over the Bay of Bengal at a speed of 12kmph (7mph), about 260km (160miles) southeast of Odisha’s largest port of Paradip.
Officials predict winds gusting up to 120kmph (74mph).
Stuti Mishra24 October 2024 08:28