Authorities in India are evacuating nearly 1.5 million people from Odisha and West Bengal ahead of Cyclone Dana, set to make landfall within 24 hours. Relief workers have been deployed, and schools, airports, and train services in coastal areas have been shut to mitigate impact.
India’s weather department predicts the storm, developing over the Bay of Bengal, will bring wind speeds of 100-120 km/h (62-74 mph) and heavy rain. Temporary relief camps with food, water, and medical support are being set up. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi assured the public that preparations are in place: “Don’t panic, be safe and careful.”
Flight operations from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata airports will be suspended from Thursday evening, while over 200 trains have been cancelled. Fishermen have been warned to avoid the sea, and Paradip port has activated contingency plans.
Odisha, evacuating over a million residents, and West Bengal, relocating 300,000 people, are both bracing for the storm. Cyclones frequently impact this region, with the 1999 Odisha cyclone killing over 10,000 people.
