As Cyclone Dana neared landfall in neighboring Odisha late Thursday night, the West Bengal state administration worked urgently to evacuate residents and move them to safe shelters, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee monitoring the situation from the Kolkata control room.
By Thursday evening, government officials reported that the evacuation process had been completed, with over 3.5 lakh people relocated to shelters across eight districts, including Kolkata, Howrah, Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Bankura, and Hooghly.
By that time, the cyclone was positioned 150 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 250 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal) as it approached the subcontinent.
Must Read: Cyclone Dana Set For Early Friday Landfall, Bengal & Odisha Brace For Impact
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port late Thursday night or early Friday morning.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that the state administration had identified over 3.5 lakh people for evacuation from low-lying areas. “For evacuation from low-lying areas, we have identified a total of 356,941 people… The numbers of evacuees will further increase. There are 851 relief camps and shelters. However, I will ask people not to panic and instead keep vigil,” the CM said earlier in the day while heading to a 24×7 monitoring center in Kolkata, where she planned to stay overnight.
Chief Secretary Manoj Pant and Home Secretary Nandini Chakraborty were also overseeing the evacuation and relief efforts. “I seek your cooperation. Be alert. If the police or the administration ask you to evacuate, please heed their advice,” Banerjee urged, adding, “Do not venture into the waters. Fishing is prohibited now.”
“This is a natural calamity. Just recently, we witnessed devastating floods in the state. We are alert, and officials in the districts have been told to stay in their offices until morning to monitor the situation. Helpline numbers have been announced,” Banerjee added.
“I know Cyclone (Dana) will not hit our state, but our state will be equally affected. So, please obey what the administration is saying, at least for this night,” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged the public through the media. She advised people not to spread rumours or create panic, emphasizing that the state government’s 24/7 helpline (2214 3526) was operational for sharing information and monitoring the cyclone. “I will be at the state secretariat throughout the night; we will continue to monitor the situation,” Banerjee said. “Please cooperate with us and stay safe,” she added.
For relief and rescue operations, the government has already deployed a large contingent, including police, district administration officials, and disaster management teams. Twenty-two companies of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed, and coastal areas were placed on high alert.
Among the evacuees were pregnant women expected to deliver within the next 15 days.
“Pregnant women, who are due for deliveries, have been brought here to Sagar Gramin Hospital. This is for precaution. In this hospital alone, 100 such women have been admitted,” said Bhabani Maity, a healthcare worker at Sagar Gramin Hospital in South 24 Parganas.
Meanwhile, the southern Bengal districts of Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, and South 24 Parganas have already begun experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall and gusty winds on Thursday, with weather conditions expected to worsen.
The IMD has warned of “heavy to very heavy rainfall” in these areas, with isolated places likely to witness “extremely heavy downpours” over the next 48 hours.
Fishermen have been advised to stay away from the sea, as wind speeds of up to 110 km/h (68 mph) are expected over the northwest Bay of Bengal. The storm is likely to intensify, with winds reaching 120 km/h (75 mph) during landfall, before gradually subsiding.
Public transport across the southern districts of the state has been severely impacted.
The South Eastern Railway, which covers routes in West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand, has cancelled more than 170 express and passenger trains scheduled between October 23 and 27.
Additionally, Eastern Railway cancelled 68 suburban trains in the Howrah division for Friday morning, while all EMU local trains from Sealdah station were suspended from Thursday evening until Friday morning. Train services are expected to resume on Friday at 10 am.
Kolkata Port authorities have also halted ship movements until Friday evening.
Operations at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport were suspended from 6 pm on Thursday until 9 am on Friday due to the anticipated high winds and heavy rain.
Airport Director Pravat Ranjan Beuria said that precautions had been taken, including securing planes, retracting aerobridges, and ensuring all loose equipment was tied down. “Following the standard operating procedure, all vehicles used in the airside of the airport will be removed from the operational area,” Beuria said, adding that “pumps are on standby to prevent waterlogging on the premises.”
The Indian Coast Guard has mobilised vessels and aircraft to respond to any distress situations at sea. Ferry services in the Sundarbans and across the Hooghly River in Kolkata have been suspended, and the KMC has opened a control room to manage the situation.
Also Read: Odisha: High Tide Waves Lash Old Digha Beach As Cyclone Dana Nears Landfall | WATCH
