Cyclone Dana: 178 trains cancelled; evacuations begin in Odisha, Bengal

Cyclone Dana update: East Coast Railways cancels 178 trains as cyclone nears Odisha and Bengal; authorities begin large-scale evacuations; schools closed in coastal districts from October 23 to 26

The East Coast Railways (ECoR) has announced the cancellation of 178 trains, including 85 UP trains and 93 Down trains, as Cyclone Dana approaches. The cyclone is expected to make landfall in Odisha either on the night of October 24 or early on October 25.

In a recent notification, ECoR stated that some train services will remain suspended for three days, from October 23 to October 25.

To prepare for the cyclone, ECoR has set up a 24/7 Disaster Management Cell at its headquarters in Rail Sadan and divisional offices in Khurda Road, Visakhapatnam, and Sambalpur. These teams are responsible for ensuring the rapid restoration of train services and railway infrastructure in case of cyclone-related disruption.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has reported that the depression over the Bay of Bengal intensified on Tuesday evening and is expected to develop into a severe cyclonic storm. It is likely to hit the Odisha-West Bengal coastlines early on October 25, with wind speeds ranging from 100 to 110 miles per hour, with gusts up to 120 miles per hour.

Authorities in Odisha, West Bengal, the Coast Guard, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and other rescue teams are on high alert as the depression has intensified.

Cyclone Dana latest news: Odisha deploys 288 rescue teams

As the severe depression over the Bay of Bengal strengthened into cyclonic storm "Dana" on Wednesday morning, the Odisha government accelerated its efforts to evacuate residents from coastal regions. It deployed 288 rescue teams to at-risk areas across 14 districts.

The state has already mobilised 19 teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), 51 teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), and 178 Fire Services teams. Additionally, 40 more teams have been dispatched to the affected districts.

On Wednesday, the Indian Air Force airlifted 150 NDRF personnel along with relief supplies to Bhubaneswar using two aircraft.

Cyclone Dana update: Schools closed from October 23 to 26

All schools in coastal areas of Odisha and West Bengal have been closed. The West Bengal School Education Department has issued a notice suspending all academic activities in seven districts, including South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, Jhargram, Bankura, Hooghly, Howrah, and Kolkata, from October 23 to October 26.

Cyclone Dana latest update: Evacuation process begins

Evacuations have commenced in coastal districts expected to face the cyclone’s severe impact. Odisha’s revenue and disaster management minister, Suresh Pujari, said that over 5,000 relief centres have been set up. The state is preparing for the evacuation of nearly 1 million residents from vulnerable areas.

Pujari stated, “This was the last review meeting to take stock of the situation and assess the preparedness at the grassroots level. As of now, more than 5,000 relief centres have already been set up with all modern facilities to provide drinking water, food, milk for children, and medicine for the ailing. We are expecting around 1 million evacuations.”

Cyclone Dana news: Odisha issues emergency numbers

The Odisha government said that the toll-free number for assistance during and after Cyclone Dana is 1077. In case of emergencies, individuals can reach the State Emergency Operation Center (SEOC) at 7682982668 or 0674-2534177 for assistance. Additionally, specific emergency contact numbers have been assigned to 15 high-risk districts, each with its own control room. The emergency contact details for these districts are provided below.

Angul: Control Room 06764-230980

Balasore: Control Room 06782-262286, 06782-261077

Bhadrak: Control Room 06784-251881

Cuttack: Control Room 0671-2507842

Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation: Control Room 1929

Mayurbhanj: Control Room 06792-252759, 06792-252941

Jajpur: Control Room 06728-222648

Kendrapada: Control Room-06727-232803

Keonjhar: Control Room 06766-255437

Jagatsinghpur: Control Room 06724-220368

Dhenkanal: Control Room 06762-226507, 06762-221376

Puri: Control Room 06752-223237

Khurda: Control Room 06755-220002

Ganjam: Control Room 06811-263978

Nayagada: Control Room 06753-252978

Cyclone Dana news: Most affected districts in Odisha, West Bengal

According to IMD forecasts, fourteen districts in Odisha are expected to be hit hardest by Cyclone Dana, including Angul, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Ganjam, and Mayurbhanj. In West Bengal, the most vulnerable areas include South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur. Additionally, Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Jhargram, and Hooghly, along with coastal regions, are likely to experience significant impacts.

Cyclone Dana: NDRF, SDRF teams deployed

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have already been stationed in high-risk zones. Control rooms have been established at state and district levels to coordinate rescue and relief operations effectively.

(With inputs from agencies)