Cyclone Dana: NDRF, ODRAF teams start restoration work in Odisha

NDRF restoration process (Pic/PTI)

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) teams on Friday started the restoration work by removing uprooted trees from the roads in Odisha's coastal district even though the landfall process of severe cyclonic storm Dana still continues, an official said to PTI.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) said at 8:23 am that the "Landfall process continues and the rear sector of the cyclone is entering into the land. The landfall process would continue for the next 1-2 hours. The system is likely to move nearly northwestwards across the north Odisha and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm by the forenoon of October 25."

The system is under continuous surveillance by the Doppler radar at Paradip.

Suryabanshi Suraj, Odisha's Higher Education minister, who is currently in charge of the Bhadrak district claimed that there were no reports of any casualty in the district.

"There is no report of any casualty. There has been massive damage to electrical installations due to tree falling. Roads are being cleared," the minister said to PTI.

The NDRF and ODRAF teams started the restoration work despite strong winds and heavy rainfall in Bhadrak district's Dhamra area.

As per PTI, the Tehsildar of Rajnagar in Kendrapada district, Ajay Mohanty claimed that there has been no major damage in the Bhitarkanika area except for the uprooting of a few trees and a few thatched houses being damaged.

"The wind speed has substantially come down to 80 to 90 kmph, but the rain continues to lash the area," Mohanty said, adding that seawater has entered into some water bodies and low-lying areas during the tidal surge on Thursday night.

Chandabali area in Bhadrak district received the highest rainfall of 131.6 mm during the last six hours followed by 42.8mm in Balasore, an official said.

Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed the cyclone situation at the Special Relief Commissioner's office.

The coastal districts of Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Balasore and nearby Jagatsinghpur district saw a sudden increase in wind speed reaching 100 kmph to 110 kmph and extremely heavy rainfall during the landfall process.

According to PTI, Bhubaneshwar's Biju Patnaik International Airport authorities have decided to resume operations after weather conditions improve.

The airport had suspended flight operations on Thursday from 5 pm due to cyclone Dana's landfall process.

The Indian Railways also cancelled more than two hundred trains as a result of the cyclone, PTI reported.

(With inputs from PTI)