10 Must Know About Cyclonic Storm ‘Dana’ & Its Likely Impact On Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Cyclone ‘Dana’ will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over Central and adjoining Northwest Bay of Bengal in the early hours of Thursday and make landfall along Odisha coast from midnight till early Friday morning.

The cyclonic storm was about about 420 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 450 km south-southeast of Dhamra (Odisha) and 500 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) at 5.30 pm, according to the India Meteorological Centre (IMD).

Here are 10 must know about Cyclone ‘Dana’:

1. Cyclone Dana will strike the coast as a severe cyclonic storm between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port in Odisha, a stretch of about 70 km, with a maximum sustained wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph.

2. The mangrove forest spread over nearly 200 square km in Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapada district would reduce the impact of impending cyclone Dana, if it makes landfall in the area. Principal Chief Conservators of Forests (PCCF) Wildlife Susanta Nanda said that mangrove forest would reduce the vulnerability of adjacent coastal lands from tidal surges and also reduce the wind velocity.

3. The MD has warned of tidal surge of 1 to 2 metres in Bhadrak, Kendrapada, and Balasore during the cyclone’s landfall. Storm surge of 1-1.5 metre is also likely in Jagatsinghpur district.

4. It also cautioned that low-lying areas in these districts could face flooding during the cyclone’s landfall.

5. Red warning of extremely heavy rainfall has been issued for Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Balasore, and Mayurbhanj districts on October 24 and Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak on October 25.

6. Squally wind speed reaching 45-55 gusting to 65 kmph is currently prevailing along and off Odisha coasts. It would gradually increase becoming gale with wind speed reaching 60-70 kmph gusting to 80 kmph from October 24 morning and 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph along & off north Odisha coasts. Gale wind speed reaching 60-80 kmph gusting to 90 kmph is likely along and off south Odisha from October 24 night till October 25 morning and decrease gradually thereafter.

7. Heavy rainfall, wind and storm surge will peak on October 24 (midnight) and continue till October 25 forenoon. Strong winds can blow away tree branches, thatched houses, uproot trees and twist telephone and electric poles. The sea water may enter the land mass through Baitarani, Brahmani and other small rivers.

8. Great Danger Signal 10 has been hoisted at Puri, Dhamra and Paradip ports and Great Danger Signal 8 at Paradip ports. All fishing activities have been suspended.

9. Dana is a name suggested by Qatar according to the tropical cyclone naming system formulated by the WMO and in Arabic it means “the most perfectly sized, valuable and beautiful pearl”.

10. The cyclonic storm is weaker than Cyclone Amphan of 2020, which struck the Sundarbans in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal on May 20, causing large-scale damage in the coastal and northern districts of Odisha, including Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Balasore and parts of Mayurbhanj.

Notably, Cyclone Yash was the last to hit Odisha. The ‘Very Severe Cyclonic Storm’ battered the northern coastline of Odisha with powerful winds and rains as it made landfall at Bahanaga block in Balasore with a sustained wind speed of 130 to 140 kmph gusting up to 155 kmph on May 26, 2021, leaving behind a trail of devastation, flattening kuchha houses, uprooting trees and electric poles, and causing rivers to swell.