Bengal evacuates over 1.14 lakh people as Cyclone 'Dana' approaches coast

KOLKATA: In view of severe cyclone 'Dana' approaching the coast, the West Bengal government has evacuated more than 1.14 lakh people from vulnerable areas, including Sundarbans and Sagar Island, to safer shelters, according to an official statement.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Wednesday said the cyclone is likely to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port, located around 70 km away from each other, in neighbouring Odisha early on Friday.

To support the evacuation efforts, 13 battalions from West Bengal's disaster management team and 14 battalions of the NDRF 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 mainly focused on moving people from coastal regions to shelters, especially in South 24 Parganas district, which includes Sagar Island, Sundarbans, and Kakdwip.

Residents of areas such as 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, West Bengal 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.