Bhubneshwar (Odisha) [India], October 24 : National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) on Wednesday informed that they are trying to create awareness for cyclone DANA in districts of Odisha including Mahakalpada and Kendrapara. The NDRF team is going door-to-door with loudspeakers making people aware of the upcoming cyclonic storm.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) in its weather forecast bulletin said that the cyclonic storm DANA has moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kilometres per hour during the last six hours. The storm is likely to cross the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal as it moves towards the north west direction. Cyclone DANA lays over the central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal before moving towards the north-northwest direction, likely to cross Odisha and West Bengal coasts.

"The severe cyclonic storm "DANA" over central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 12 kmph during past 6 hours, and lay centred at 0530 hrs IST of today, the 24th October, over northwest and adjoining central Bay of Bengal...about 260 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha), 290 km south-southeast of Dhamara (Odisha) and 350 km south of Sagar Island (West Bengal). It is very likely to move northwestwards and cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island close to Bhitarkanika and Dhamara during mid-night of 24th to morning of 25th October, 2024 as a severe Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph," the IMD forecast bulletin said.

The administration and the police have started to evacuate the locals living in vulnerable areas of Dhamara and Bhadrak in Odisha. People are being brought to the cyclone shelter.

IMD Director Manorama Mohanty informed that the cyclone DANA has intensified into a severe cyclonic storm at midnight. Heavy rainfall is expected in the capital city of Odisha and the wind speed will slowly increase. The wind speed will reach its highest tonight, Mohanty said.

Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi called a meeting to assess the state's readiness for Cyclone DANA. He said that the state government is taking the cyclone very seriously and making arrangements in various districts including Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Jagarsinghpur, and Puri.