Evacuating old and dilapidated buildings, monitoring electricity lines and setting up a 24-hour control room with emergency teams on standby – as Cyclonic storm Dana continues to barrel towards coastal Odisha and West Bengal, Kolkata braces for its impact.
According to officials, the city is keeping in mind the thousands of old and dilapidated houses that line the city while preparing itself. The city also saw over 5,000 trees uprooted during the Cyclone Amphan that hit Bengal in 2020, and is keeping response teams ready.
Dana, a severe cyclonic storm, is expected to cross the coastline of West Bengal and Odisha and make landfall in Bhitarkanika and Dhamara (Odisha) packing wind speeds of 100 to 110 KMPH gusting 120 KMPH. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has also predicted heavy rain in parts of Odisha and Bengal, including Kolkata.
“We are already monitoring electricity lines. Special teams will be deployed at every borough office and will clear any fallen trees. The 79 pumping stations in the city have 450 pumps, all of which will stay open the whole of Thursday night. We are fully ready to face this disaster,” said Kolkata mayor and West Bengal’s urban development minister Firhad Hakim.
The KMC has already cancelled the leaves of officials and workers of its emergency departments. They are also monitoring the city using CCTVs.
“There are thousands of old and dilapidated houses in Kolkata, some of which have been declared ‘dangerous’ by the KMC. People have been evacuated from such houses. We are also co-ordination with the Kolkata Police,” said a highly-placed KMC official.
Quick response KMC teams are keeping tree-cutting machines ready. To prevent incidents of electrocution, the civic body will keep trident lights turned off, and will also constantly monitor high-mast street lights across the city.
“We have seen incidents of electrocution due to short circuits from trident lights during cyclones,” a KMC official said.
KMC’s sewerage and drainage department is also on high alert. Mayor council member Tarak Singh, who’s in charge of the department, said additional water pumps have been installed in low-lying areas to clear any water logging.
“Workers have been told to clear manholes to let water pass swiftly,” he said.