The IMD said a well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression today, as it rolled towards the eastern coast with the likelihood of turning into a severe cyclonic storm
In view of Cyclone ‘Dana’, which could hit coastal areas of West Bengal and Odisha on October 25, a total of 197 trains were cancelled between October 23 and 26 while schools were closed in several districts of Odisha and West Bengal.
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Airport authorities in Kolkata, meanwhile, also began preparations to tackle any situation arising out of the possible cyclonic storm. West Bengal Chief Minister advised tourists from the state, who are visiting Puri in Odisha, to return home.
A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday, as it rolled towards the eastern coast with the likelihood of turning into a severe cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The depression is likely to further intensify into a cyclonic storm by October 23 and a severe cyclonic storm by October 25, it said.
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Here are the latest updates:
ODISHA CONDUCTS MOCK FIRE DRILLS, SETS UP SHELTERS & RELIEF CENTRES
In Odisha, mock fire drills were conducted at the Bhubaneswar head office. Fire services will be moving to 14 districts most likely to be affected. The state government has identified 250 relief centres and 500 temporary shelters. It has deployed 1,000 personnel of the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) in different districts along with 30 platoons of the state armed forces.
The state has also deployed six top bureaucrats in six districts — Bhadrak, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Baleswar and Mayurbhanj, to monitor and manage the cyclone situation. The officials are collectors of these concerned districts.
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TRAINS TAKING ODISHA ROUTE CANCELLED
Among cancelled trains, 94 were going south via Odisha while 103 were heading east through the state. Five trains initiating from Assam and Assam-bound trains were cancelled on Wednesday (October 23) as a precautionary measure: 12552 Kamakhya-Bengaluru AC Superfast Express; 12514 Silchar-Secunderabad Express; 22504 Dibrugarh-Kanyakumari Vivek Express; 12509 Bengaluru-Guwahati Express; 22503 Kanyakumari-Dibrugarh Vivek Express.
KOLKATA AIRPORT BEGINS PREPARATIONS
Asked about the possible impact on flight operations, Kolkata airport officials said it will depend on the situation after the cyclone makes landfall. “For the moment, the airport officials are following the standard operating procedures,” Dr Pravat Ranjan Beuria, Director of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
He further said standard operating procedures, such as inspection of the infrastructure and the drainage system, checking and servicing of all installations, are being carried out. “I am also scheduled to hold a meeting with various stakeholders at the airport soon,” he said.
He added: “We are expecting heavy rainfall, which may cause inundation in and around the airport premises. We are working closely with the state government to handle the situation.”
(With PTI inputs)
