Bhubaneswar: Cyclone Dana, currently brewing in the Bay of Bengal, is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika and Dhamra regions between October 24 night and October 25 morning, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD) scientist Umasankar Das.
Briefing media about the landfall, Das said, “The cyclone is most likely to hit Bhitarkanika and Dhamara from October 24 night to October 25 morning with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph. Under its impact, north Odisha districts will witness enhanced rainfall intensity on October 24 and 25. The rainfall activities will decrease from October 26 onwards. Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore districts are likely to be affected badly due to the landfall.”
Das further said, “Given the adverse weather conditions, fishermen have been instructed to return to shore. Additionally, wind speeds will increase in coastal areas from today.”
Going by the latest bulletin issued by IMD, the cyclonic storm over east-central Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 15 kmph during the past 6 hours and lay centred at 8.30 am over the same region, about 520 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 600 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) and 610 km south-southeast of Khepupara (Bangladesh). It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal by the early morning of October 24 and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamra (Odisha) during the night of October 24 to October 25 as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph.
