Cyclone Dana has made landfall on India’s eastern coast, uprooting trees, downing power lines, and flooding coastal areas as authorities rush to manage its impact. With gusts reaching up to 120 km/h (75 mph), the cyclone forced the evacuation of over 1.1 million residents from Odisha and West Bengal, where storm shelters are now housing those affected.
As Cyclone Dana moved inland, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted that the storm would weaken gradually, shifting to a depression. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported, with Odisha’s Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi confirming that the state’s “zero-casualty mission” has been successful, a testament to the rigorous evacuation and safety measures in place.
Local officials report widespread damage in coastal towns like Puri, where makeshift shops have been destroyed and large stretches of trees and power poles lie scattered. The Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest, bore the brunt of gale-force winds, which uprooted hundreds of trees and damaged homes along the coast, displacing thousands.
Scientists link the increasing intensity of storms like Dana to climate change, as warmer ocean surfaces drive more water vapor and stronger winds. Although advanced forecasting and organized evacuations have lowered casualty rates, India’s eastern coast remains highly vulnerable, with a sharp rise in extreme weather events observed in recent years.
Source: Aljazeera
