Cyclone ‘Dana’ Weakens After Landfall on Odisha Coast: Flights and Trains Resume, Widespread Impact Across 7 States, Check Updates

Cyclone ‘Dana,’ which developed over the Bay of Bengal, made landfall between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara district and Dhamra in Bhadrak district, Odisha, late Thursday night with wind speeds of up to 110 kmph. The cyclone’s landfall process, which began at 12:05 a.m., continued until around 8:30 a.m. on Friday, by which time its speed had slowed significantly to 10 kmph, marking an end to its active impact on the coast.

Cyclone Dana is most likely to track northwest-wards and move across Odisha through the day on Friday and further weaken into a deep depression towards evening, the Met officials said.

Since Thursday, heightened rainfall has been experienced over coastal districts of Odisha. Even on Friday, the storm will continue to cause heavy to very heavy rainfall over Odisha, West Bengal, Jharkhand as cyclone Dana will move northwestwards across Odisha on Friday.

Heavy Rainfall and Destruction in Odisha

The storm has brought continuous rainfall to Odisha, with Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts forecasted to receive over 30 cm of rain. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reported that around 5.84 lakh residents were evacuated to relief camps as a precautionary measure. Strong winds and heavy rains have caused trees to be uprooted in multiple locations, damaging vehicles and creating disruptions across the state.

Flight and Train Operations Resume

Following the cyclone’s landfall, flight operations resumed early Friday morning at Kolkata and Bhubaneswar airports. The first flight from Kolkata departed at 8:40 a.m., marking a return to regular schedules after hours of disruption. Indian Railways also announced the resumption of most train services to and from Odisha and West Bengal, with exceptions for previously cancelled routes.

During the cyclone’s peak, 300 flights were cancelled at Bhubaneswar and Kolkata airports between 5:00 p.m. on Thursday and 8:00 a.m. on Friday. Additionally, 552 trains from the South East Railway, East Coast Railway, Eastern Railway, and South East Central Railway regions were halted as a safety measure.

Widespread Impact Beyond Odisha

Cyclone Dana’s effects extended beyond Odisha, impacting seven states across eastern and southern India. In West Bengal, the state government relocated 83,000 people to temporary relief camps, anticipating heavy rains and high winds. States including Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu also reported adverse weather conditions and took safety measures to protect vulnerable communities.

As Dana continues to weaken, authorities are monitoring its residual impact while supporting affected communities in their recovery efforts.