AMN / WEB DESK
Severe Cyclonic storm Dana made landfall between Bhitarkanika and Dhamra on Odisha coast with the wind speed of 120 km per hour midnight last night. After the landfall the severe cyclonic storm weakened to cyclonic storm and moved towards northern Odisha and West Bengal coasts.
Many parts of Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts in coastal Odisha have been battered by heavy winds and rain. Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has said the landfall process continued till this morning.
There has been no report of any major damage or casualty so far after the landfall of severe cyclone ‘Dana’ between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra around last midnight. Cyclone response teams consisting of NDRF, ODRAF and Fire Services have started clearing roads in different parts of Kendrapra and Bhadrak districts by clearing big trees which fell down during the landfall of ‘Dana’. Under the impact of ‘Dana’, rainfalls and high tides in the sea were seen near the landfall region and it brought down many big trees, electric poles and thatched houses.
The actual damages caused by ‘Dana’ are being assessed by the state administration. The IMD has issued a red alert to nine districts of Odisha including Jajpur, Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Puri for today which are likely to experience heavy rainfall. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have assured Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi of all support from the Centre to Odisha to tackle the damages caused by ‘Dana’. Meanwhile, restoration of flights has commenced in Biju Patnaik International Airport at Bhubaneswar as the capital city is least affected by ‘Dana’.”