Bhubaneswar: Parts of Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts in Odisha experienced rain and adverse weather conditions on Wednesday afternoon. The Indian Meteorological Centre (IMD) reported that the eastern coastline is starting to feel the effects of the outer bands of Cyclone ‘Dana’.
Umashankar Das, a senior scientist at IMD, shared on social media, “Radar data from Paradip indicates that the outer band of Cyclone ‘Dana’ has made contact with the land in the districts of Bhadrak and Kendrapara.” He added that although the cyclone is approximately 500 km from the shore, its outer bands, which consist of clouds, are already impacting the local weather conditions.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has announced that Cyclone ‘Dana’ is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port, covering a distance of approximately 70km, early on Friday. In anticipation of the cyclone’s approach, the Odisha government has accelerated evacuation procedures in the coastal districts of Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balasore, Puri, and Jagatsinghpur.
According to the latest IMD bulletin, light to moderate rainfall, ranging from 7 cm to 11 cm, is predicted at isolated places in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Puri, Jajpur, and Cuttack.
A senior revenue official stated, “We are giving priority to the evacuation of individuals in coastal regions as the IMD has forecasted a tidal surge of 1 to 2 meters in Bhadrak, Kendrapara, and Balasore.” The IMD has also warned that low-lying areas in these districts may experience flooding during the cyclone’s landfall.
Additionally, the national weather agency reported that rain and thunderstorms, with wind speeds reaching up to 45 kmph, could impact parts of Bhadrak, Balasore, and Kendrapara just before the landfall. These districts are also expected to face winds at speeds of 120 kmph accompanied by extremely heavy rainfall during the landfall, according to the IMD.
The Odisha government has provided emergency contact numbers, advising residents that they can contact the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) at 7682982668 or 0674-2534177.