Odisha CM confirms no casualties during Cyclone Dana as 6 lakh people evacuated

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Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Friday that no casualties have been reported due to Cyclone Dana, which made landfall between Bhitarkanika and Dhamra coasts during the night of October 24-25. The Chief Minister emphasised that the government's target of ‘zero casualty' had been achieved, thanks to the vigilant efforts of the administration. He also confirmed that nearly 6 lakh people, including 6,000 pregnant women, had been evacuated to safer locations as a precautionary measure.

While addressing the media, CM Majhi stated, "Cyclone Dana made landfall between the Bhitarkanika and Dhamra coasts. This process continued until 7:00 am today. Due to the proactive measures taken, there have been no reports of casualties. We successfully evacuated close to 6 lakh people, and 6,000 pregnant women were safely shifted to healthcare centres."

According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone Dana began weakening into a deep depression following the landfall. In an update posted on X, the IMD reported that by 8:30 am, the cyclone had moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 10 km/h, centred about 30 km northeast of Bhadrak and 50 km north-northwest of Dhamra. The wind speed around the cyclone's centre was recorded at 80-90 km/h, gusting up to 100 km/h. The IMD also mentioned that the landfall process had concluded, and the system was under continuous observation by the Doppler radar at Paradip.

In the aftermath of the cyclone's landfall, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has commenced restoration efforts in several affected areas, including Kendrapada, Bhadrak, and Jagatsinghpur. NDRF teams were engaged in clearing roads and removing uprooted trees in various villages around Dhamra. Inspector Vikram from the NDRF stated, "We have been deployed in Paradip, mainly focusing on clearing the entry routes to Nehru Bangla. Our teams have been working since 4:00 am, and fortunately, the cyclone's impact has been moderate here."

Odisha's Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj provided further updates, stating that while there has been significant disruption in terms of power outages, damage to houses, and the impact on agricultural land, no major flood-like situation has arisen. He added, "We evacuated 1 lakh people yesterday and are continuing to focus on restoration work across the affected areas."

Coastal Odisha, particularly regions like Bhadrak and Dhamra, experienced heavy rain, turbulent seas, and strong winds due to Cyclone Dana. Despite the challenging conditions, the government's timely interventions helped minimise damage and ensure the safety of residents.

(With inputs from ANI)