Rain starts in Odisha as Cyclone Dana's outer band touches land: IMD

Bhubaneswar: Parts of Kendrapara and Bhadrak districts in Odisha experienced rain and adverse weather conditions on Wednesday afternoon with the Indian Meterological Centre (IMD) saying that the outer bands of Cyclone Dana' has begun to affect the eastern coastline.

Senior IMD scientist Umashankar Das posted on X, "According to radar data from Paradip, the outer band of Cyclone Dana' has touched the land mass in Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts."

He clarified that while the cyclone is around 500 km offshore, its outer bands, composed of clouds, can influence local weather conditions.

The IMD said Cyclone Dana' is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra port, a distance of around 70km, early Friday.

In response to the cyclone's movement, the Odisha government has expedited evacuation efforts in the coastal districts of Kendrapada, Bhadrak, Balasore, Puri and Jagatsinghpur.

The latest IMD bulletin forecast light to moderate rainfall between 7 cm and 11 cm, at isolated locations in Balasore, Bhadrak, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapada, Puri, Jajpur and Cuttack.

A senior revenue official said, "We are prioritising evacuation of people in coastal areas as the IMD has predicted a tidal surge of 1 to 2 metres in Bhadrak, Kendrapara and Balasore."

The IMD also indicated that low-lying areas could be inundated in these districts during the cyclone's landfall.

Additionally, the national weather agency said rain and thunderstorms, with wind speeds of up to 45 kmph, may affect parts of Bhadrak, Balasore, and Kendrapada just ahead of the landfall. These three districts will also experience winds with speed of 120 kmph along with extremely heavy rainfall during the landfall, the IMD said.

The Odisha government has issued emergency contact numbers and said residents can reach the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) at 7682982668 or 0674-2534177.