Cyclonic storm Dana LIVE updates: One million to evacuate in Odisha; trains cancelled amid heavy rain

The IMD has indicated that Cyclone Dana is likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal by the early hours of October 24

“We plan to shift 10 lakh people to different cyclone shelters where all services will be made available. We hope that the evacuation would pick up by evening,” Suresh Pujari, Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister, said following the Cabinet meeting here on Wednesday (October 23, 2024).
The IMD has prohibited all marine activities, including fishing, in the Bay of Bengal until the cyclone has passed. “All fishermen returned to the coast by Tuesday evening,” said Pujari.

The Met warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy downpours in isolated places in the south Bengal districts of North and South 24 Parganas, Purba and Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Kolkata, Howrah and Hooghly districts on October 24 and 25. “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.
Eastern and South Eastern railways cancelled a large number of trains on October 24 and 25, in view of the cyclone.

With the cyclone approaching fast towards the state’s coast, several activities including the functioning of the Orissa High Court, Biju Patnaik International Airport, ports at Paradip and Dhamara, all educational institutions and others remain suspended in wake of the impending calamity.
Source:thehindu.com