Cyclone ‘Dana’: 10 NDRF, 20 ODRAF Teams Deployed in Possible Affected Districts in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: In view of the possible cyclone storm ‘Dana’, as many as 10 NDRF teams and 20 ODRAF teams have been deployed in the districts, which are likely to be affected by the cyclone.

The Odisha government has also sought assistance from the Additional Secretary of the Disaster Management Division, MHA, requesting ten additional teams from outside the state.

The state government has arranged for the evacuation of people from high-risk areas. 250 multipurpose cyclone shelters have been readied to shelter evacuees. Additionally, 500 temporary shelters have been set up in strategic locations such as schools and colleges. These shelters will provide cooked food and necessary medical services to those displaced by the cyclone, according to Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari.

The health department has prepared a list of pregnant women. Advisories are being issued for women, children, and the elderly to relocate to safer areas in the potentially affected regions, with women police officers to be stationed at relief centres.

The Minister said that coordination meetings with district Collectors have taken place.

The lMD, Bhubaneswar has predicted that a well-marked low pressure area, which was developed over east central Bay of Bengal at 1130 hours IST of 21st October 2024, moved west-Northwestwards and intensified into a depression by 22nd October morning. The low pressure will intensify into a cyclonic storm by 23rd October over east central Bay of Bengal. Thereafter, it is very likely to move north westwards and reach northwest Bay of Bengal off Odisha-West Bengal coasts by 24th October morning. It is further very likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar island during night of 24th and early morning 25th October, 2024 as a severe Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph.

Under its impact, Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Angul, Khordha, Nayagarh and Cuttack districts are likely to be affected with wind action as well as heavy rainfall.