Intense Cyclone Dana about to hit Odisha, ‘great danger signal numbers 8 and 10’ issued

Port operations in Paradip and Dhamra remained suspended.

Bhubaneswar: A senior India Meteorological Department (IMD) official said on Wednesday, 23 October 2024 that in view of the severe cyclonic storm “Dana” expected to make landfall by early Friday, October 25, three ports in Odisha have issued “great danger signal number 10”. Cyclone Dana, with wind speeds expected to reach up to 120 kmph (75 mph), is likely to hit between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha by early Friday, said the IMD official.

According to Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar Director Manorama Mohanty, great danger signal number 10 has been issued at Dhamra, Paradip and Puri ports, and “great danger signal number 8” at Gopalpur port.

The issuance of the great danger signal number 10 at ports signifies the expectation of severe weather conditions from an intense storm, with wind speeds exceeding 89 kmph. It also signals that the cyclonic storm is anticipated to make landfall or pass close to the ports. Likewise, the great danger signal number 8 is a port warning for winds ranging from 63 to 87 kmph.

Port activities in Paradip and Dhamra have been halted due to the approaching cyclone anticipated to make landfall between Dhamra in Bhadrak district and Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara district. Dhamra is expected to bear the brunt of the cyclone, with the storm’s eye likely to pass over the port town, as stated by Odisha’s Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj to the press following a review of the port’s readiness.

“The eye of cyclone Dana will cross through Dhamra due to which the entire area is in danger zone. People are being evacuated and the port authorities have made arrangements for minimising the impact of the calamity,” Suraj said, adding that he would spend Wednesday night at Dhamra and visit several places to oversee preparedness.

According to the IMD’s evening bulletin, cyclonic storm Dana over the Bay of Bengal moved northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph during the past 6 hours and lay centred at about 460 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 490 km south-southeast of Dhamra (Odisha) and 540 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal).

“It is very likely to move northwestwards and intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over northwest Bay of Bengal by early morning of October 24 and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamara (Odisha) during the night of October 24 to morning of October 25, 2024 as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph,” the IMD said.

(With PTI inputs)