With Cyclone Dana over the Bay of Bengal likely to intensify early Friday before making landfall in neighbouring Odisha, the West Bengal government evacuated more than 1.14 lakh people from vulnerable areas, including Sundarbans and Sagar Island, to safer shelters, according to an official statement.
To support the evacuation efforts, 13 battalions from West Bengal’s disaster management team and 14 battalions of the NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) have been deployed in the coastal regions of the state, officials said.
The state government has identified 2,82,863 people from the districts of Bankura, Hooghly, Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas, Paschim and Purba Medinipur and Kolkata for evacuation. So far, 1,14,613 people have already been moved to safety, they said.
The evacuation is focused on moving people from coastal regions to shelters, especially in South 24 Parganas district, which includes Sagar Island, Sundarbans, and Kakdwip. Residents of Kakdwip, Namkhana, Diamond Harbour, and Raichak have also been relocated to safer places.
The state government has distributed tarpaulins and ensured that dry rations, powdered milk, and drinking water pouches are available across these districts, preparing for the potential crisis, the officials said. “Our district teams are working round the clock to manage the evolving situation,” state Fire and Emergency Minister Sujit Bose said.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the state is fully prepared to deal with any disaster caused by the approaching cyclone. She also announced that schools and ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) centres in nine districts would remain closed from Wednesday till October 26 as a precaution.
She said that district administrations have been instructed to relocate people from low-lying areas to safer locations.
A centralised control room has been set up at the state secretariat to closely monitor the situation. Control rooms have also been established in Purba and Paschim Medinipur, North and South 24 Parganas, Hooghly, and Howrah districts.
Heavy rainfall is expected in the coastal districts, with Kolkata and surrounding areas likely to experience heavy to very heavy rain. In coastal areas like Digha, Shankarpur, and Tajpur, authorities have advised tourists to stay indoors and avoid going into the sea as a safety measure.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said it is on high alert and has mobilised its vessels.
“On receiving early warnings about the approaching cyclone, the ICG initiated extensive sea and air patrols in coordination with the Meteorological Department, continuously tracking the cyclone’s progression. In addition, ships from the Coast Guard’s eastern region, currently on patrol, have been tasked with shepherding fishing boats and other small vessels, guiding them to the nearest shore to avoid any hazardous situations,” the Coast Guard said.
The Coast Guard aircraft are also conducting aerial surveillance, relaying real-time updates to ground stations.
All flight operations at Kolkata airport will remain suspended for 15 hours — from 6 pm on October 24 (Thursday) to 9 am on October 25 (Friday) on account of the approaching Cyclone Dana, all set to make landfall in the neighbouring Odisha.
At least 109 local trains in the Sealdah division have also been cancelled for Friday, officials said. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) director said wind speeds in Kolkata and surrounding areas could reach up to 60-70 kmph, with gusting up to 80 kmph, accompanied by heavy to very heavy rainfall.
“To ensure the safety of passengers and aircraft, all stakeholders, including ATC, CNS, and other key airport officials, unanimously decided to suspend operations from 6 pm on October 24 to 9 am on October 25. Accordingly, NOTAM (notice to air missions) action has been initiated,” read a statement issued by the Kolkata airport.
“We are anticipating severe crosswinds during the cyclonic storm. Take off and landing of aircraft during such weather conditions are very difficult,” Kolkata airport Director Dr Pravat Ranjan Beuria told PTI.
The Eastern Railway also decided to suspend all local train services from Sealdah station, starting 8 pm on Thursday until 10 am on Friday as a precautionary measure for the safety of passengers in the Sealdah division, which serves six districts of West Bengal: North 24 Parganas, South 24 Parganas, Nadia, Murshidabad, Kolkata, and Howrah.