Bhubaneswar, October 24: In anticipation of Cyclonic Storm Dana's imminent landfall, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has mobilized 20 teams in Odisha and 17 in West Bengal to mitigate the impact.
NDRF Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mohsen Shahedi stated that over 1.7 lakh people in affected areas of Odisha have been evacuated as the cyclone strengthened into a severe storm.
Shahedi reported, "Cyclone Dana is expected to land at midnight or tomorrow morning. Odisha's Bhadrak district and 10 coastal districts are likely to be the most affected. We are fully prepared, with teams stationed for rapid response in both Odisha and West Bengal."
Odisha Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo assured that all departments are fully prepared to tackle any situation arising from the cyclone's landfall. "We are taking proactive steps at the ground level without creating fear," he emphasized.
India Meteorological Department (IMD) Director General Dr. Mrityunjay Mohapatra also warned of severe weather impacts, predicting heavy rainfall and strong winds for Odisha and West Bengal, with gusts reaching up to 60 km/h in the interior districts of Odisha. Southern Jharkhand has also been issued warnings for heavy rainfall.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a high-level meeting at Lok Seva Bhavan to review the preparedness, alongside Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management Suresh Pujari and other key officials.
Additionally, evacuation efforts are underway in vulnerable areas like Dhamara and Bhadrak, with the Indian Navy preparing for potential Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.