On a Wednesday morning in October, fishermen in Puri were doing what coastal people have always done when the sea begins to gather its strength: dragging their boats up beyond the reach of the water. A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal had grown into a cyclonic storm named Dana, and the governments of Odisha and West Bengal turned their attention to the shore, where millions of lives stand in the storm's path. Their preparations, from relief camps to closed schools to stilled trains, reflect an old human bargain with the monsoon sea: accept the disruption now so that the cost of the wind
Cyclone Dana Intensifies Over Bay of Bengal as Odisha and West Bengal Prepare for Landfall
Over 10 lakh people in Odisha are to be relocated from 3,000 villages in 14 districts to relief camps as a precaution.
"We do not want to take any risk."
Mark
Why does this feel like a bigger deal than a routine cyclone warning?
Mimi
Scale, mostly. Odisha plans to move over 10 lakh people from 3,000 villages across 14 districts, and more than 300 trains are cancelled before the storm has even arrived.
Mark
Mamata Banerjee closed schools in seven districts. Is that about children's safety?
Mimi
Partly, but she gave another reason: schools and colleges are sometimes used as shelters. Closing them frees the buildings.
Mark
What are fishermen being told?
Mimi
The Coast Guard is broadcasting warnings from Haldia and Paradip, where it has put helicopters and remote operating stations.
Luke
Let me flag a numbers problem. One live update carried a headline of over 30 lakh people, but its text says 10 lakh, matching the official statement. Only 10 lakh is supported.
Mark
So the figure is a plan, not a count of people already moved?
Luke
Right. It's what the Odisha government intends. The source doesn't say how many have actually reached camps.
Mimi
The forecast is also conditional. The IMD says Dana is very likely to become a severe cyclonic storm by early Thursday.
Luke
And landfall between Puri and Sagar Island is a forecast, not an event. Nothing here says what damage will follow.
Mark
So the next thing to watch is Thursday night.
Mimi
Yes, whether the storm strengthens and crosses where the IMD expects.
El Pulso
- Dana has strengthened over the Bay of Bengal and is bearing down on the Odisha and West Bengal coastline between Puri and Sagar Island.
- More than 10 lakh people across 3,000 villages in 14 districts of Odisha are being moved into relief camps before the storm arrives.
- Seven West Bengal districts have shut their schools from October 23 to 26, while over 300 trains lie cancelled across two railway zones.
- The Coast Guard has placed helicopters and remote stations at Haldia and Paradip, broadcasting warnings to fishermen and mariners as the rain approaches.
- All eyes now turn to Thursday night, when the IMD expects Dana to become a severe cyclonic storm and make landfall, the first real test of these preparations.
On a Wednesday morning in October, fishermen in Puri were doing what coastal people have always done when the sea begins to gather its strength: dragging their boats up beyond the reach of the water. A deep depression over the Bay of Bengal had grown into a cyclonic storm named Dana, and the governments of Odisha and West Bengal turned their attention to the shore, where millions of lives stand in the storm's path. Their preparations, from relief camps to closed schools to stilled trains, reflect an old human bargain with the monsoon sea: accept the disruption now so that the cost of the wind and water may be lessened later.
On the morning of Wednesday, October 23, fishermen in Puri were hauling their boats higher up the sand, a routine they know well before a storm. The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal had grown into a cyclonic storm called Dana, and the governments of Odisha and West Bengal were racing to get ahead of it.
The India Meteorological Department reported that Dana had formed in the east-central Bay of Bengal and was moving northwestward. It is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm and cross the coast between Puri and Sagar Island on Thursday night into Friday. Dana is only the second cyclone of this season in the North Indian Ocean basin.
Odisha is preparing on the largest scale. The state plans to move more than 10 lakh people from 3,000 villages in 14 districts into relief camps, where food, drinking water, lighting, sanitation and health care are being arranged. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has asked every MLA to coordinate relief in their constituencies.
In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government was ready. Schools in seven districts will remain closed from October 23 to 26. "We do not want to take any risk," she said, noting that schools are often used as shelters. South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur are expected to be hit hardest.
The Coast Guard is on high alert, with helicopters and remote stations stationed at Haldia and Paradip, broadcasting warnings to fishermen and mariners. Rail travel has been badly disrupted, with more than 300 trains cancelled across two zones.
What happens on Thursday will decide whether these preparations were enough. The relocation of more than 10 lakh people will be the first major test.
On the morning of Wednesday, October 23, fishermen in Puri were hauling their boats out of reach of the water, a routine that comes before a storm. The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal had by then intensified into a cyclonic storm, named Dana, and the governments of Odisha and West Bengal were moving to get ahead of it.
The India Meteorological Department said Dana had formed in the east-central Bay of Bengal. During the previous six hours it had moved at 18 km/hr. The agency expects it to travel northwestwards and strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal by early Thursday. It is forecast to cross the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island as a severe cyclone during the night of Thursday into Friday. Dana is the second cyclone to form in the North Indian Ocean basin, which covers the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea, since Cyclone Asna developed in the Arabian Sea in late August.
Odisha's preparations are the largest in scale. An official statement said the state plans to shift more than 10 lakh people from 3,000 villages in 14 districts into relief camps. (One update in the live blog's running coverage carried a headline citing 30 lakh people, but the accompanying text and the official statement both say 10 lakh.) Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi asked all MLAs to coordinate relief work in their areas. Arrangements have been made to supply food, drinking water, lighting, sanitation and health facilities at the camps.
In West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said her government is ready for the cyclone. Schools in seven districts will stay closed from October 23 to 26. "We do not want to take any risk," she said, adding that schools and colleges are sometimes used as shelters for people. The districts expected to be hit hardest are South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur. Coastal areas and neighbouring districts, including Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Jhargram and Hooghly, are also in the storm's likely reach.
The Indian Coast Guard said it is on high alert, with vessels and aircraft assembled to respond quickly to emergencies once the heavy rain arrives in both states. It has placed helicopters and remote operating stations at Haldia in West Bengal and Paradip in Odisha. From those points it is broadcasting regular weather warnings and safety advisories to fishermen and mariners.
Rail travel has been heavily disrupted. More than 150 express and passenger trains in the South Eastern Railway's jurisdiction have been cancelled. East Coast Railways has cancelled another 198 trains that either pass through or originate in Odisha. Together the cancellations exceed 300.
What to watch now is how the storm strengthens on Thursday, as the IMD expects, and whether it makes landfall between Puri and Sagar Island that night as forecast. The relocation of more than 10 lakh people in Odisha will be the first major test of the preparations.
Citas Notables
Schools will remain closed in seven districts from October 23 to 26 as a precautionary measure. We do not want to take any risk.— Mamata Banerjee, West Bengal Chief Minister
Dana is very likely to intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal by early Thursday morning.— India Meteorological Department (paraphrased)
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Politics & Governance