Cyclone Dana Set to Make Landfall: Odisha Ports Hoist Highest Danger Alert
By : Akshaya Kumar Sahoo
Update: 2024-10-24 03:56 GMT
Bhubaneswar: With Cyclone Dana expected to make landfall by early Friday, three major ports in Odisha—Paradip, Dhamra, and Gopalpur—have hoisted Signal 10, the highest danger alert.
The cyclone, with wind speeds projected to reach up to 120 kilometers per hour (kmph), is expected to hit the coast between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported on Thursday.
Ahead of the storm, heavy rains began lashing coastal districts from Thursday morning. Massive cloud formations have added to the anxiety of residents in the region. Paradip experienced 51mm rains on Wednesday night while Chadbali recorded 39mm.
According to Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, "Great Danger Signal 10 has been issued at Dhamra, Paradip, and Gopalpur ports, while Signal 8 is in effect at Gopalpur."
Signal 10 indicates that severe weather with wind speeds exceeding 89 kmph is imminent, while Signal 8 warns of winds between 63-87 kmph. Port operations at Paradip and Dhamra have been suspended in anticipation of the cyclone's landfall.
The IMD forecasted high tides ranging from 0.5 to 2 meters to strike the coast during Cyclone Dana's landfall.Dhamra, expected to be the hardest hit, is in the direct path of the storm's eye, Odisha's Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj informed after assessing preparedness at the port. "The eye of Cyclone Dana will pass through Dhamra, putting the entire area in the danger zone. Evacuations are underway, and port authorities are taking all possible measures to mitigate the impact of the cyclone," Suraj said. He added that he would spend the night in Dhamra and visit various locations to oversee preparations.
In a special bulletin issued Thursday morning, the IMD reported that Cyclone Dana had intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the central and northwestern Bay of Bengal, moving at 15 kmph. At 2:30 PM, it was positioned approximately 280 km southeast of Paradip, 310 km south-southeast of Dhamra, and 370 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal). The cyclone is predicted to move northwest, making landfall between Puri and Sagar Island near Bhitarkanika and Dhamra late Thursday night or early Friday morning, with wind speeds ranging from 100-110 kmph, gusting up to 120 kmph.
The cyclone, with wind speeds projected to reach up to 120 kilometers per hour (kmph), is expected to hit the coast between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported on Thursday.
Ahead of the storm, heavy rains began lashing coastal districts from Thursday morning. Massive cloud formations have added to the anxiety of residents in the region. Paradip experienced 51mm rains on Wednesday night while Chadbali recorded 39mm.
According to Manorama Mohanty, Director of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, "Great Danger Signal 10 has been issued at Dhamra, Paradip, and Gopalpur ports, while Signal 8 is in effect at Gopalpur."
Signal 10 indicates that severe weather with wind speeds exceeding 89 kmph is imminent, while Signal 8 warns of winds between 63-87 kmph. Port operations at Paradip and Dhamra have been suspended in anticipation of the cyclone's landfall.
The IMD forecasted high tides ranging from 0.5 to 2 meters to strike the coast during Cyclone Dana's landfall.Dhamra, expected to be the hardest hit, is in the direct path of the storm's eye, Odisha's Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj informed after assessing preparedness at the port. "The eye of Cyclone Dana will pass through Dhamra, putting the entire area in the danger zone. Evacuations are underway, and port authorities are taking all possible measures to mitigate the impact of the cyclone," Suraj said. He added that he would spend the night in Dhamra and visit various locations to oversee preparations.
In a special bulletin issued Thursday morning, the IMD reported that Cyclone Dana had intensified into a severe cyclonic storm over the central and northwestern Bay of Bengal, moving at 15 kmph. At 2:30 PM, it was positioned approximately 280 km southeast of Paradip, 310 km south-southeast of Dhamra, and 370 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal). The cyclone is predicted to move northwest, making landfall between Puri and Sagar Island near Bhitarkanika and Dhamra late Thursday night or early Friday morning, with wind speeds ranging from 100-110 kmph, gusting up to 120 kmph.