Cyclone Dana Live Updates: IMD issues flash flood warning for 16 districts; Kolkata and Odisha airports resume operations

Cyclone Dana Live Updates: Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra International Airport and Odisha’s Biju International Airport have resumed flight operations following slight improvement in weather conditions.

In its latest statement, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted that there will be flash floods in 16 districts of Odisha due to heavy rainfall. The districts expected to experience flash floods include Angul, Balasore, Boudh, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khurda, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh and Puri.

Meanwhile, many areas in Kolkata were flooded due to heavy rainfall. Kolkata mayor Firhad Hakim said all pumping stations have been alerted to prevent further waterlogging and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has installed suction machines to clean gully pits and manholes.

Last night in Odisha, government officials and rescue forces began evacuating people from areas likely to be affected by the hurricane. To cope with the displacement of nearly 10 lakh people, multi-purpose cyclone shelters, flood shelters and other buildings have been identified and prepared for temporary relief camps.

Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said arrangements have also been made to provide food, drinking water, lighting, sanitation and health facilities to people who will be evacuated to such shelters.

West Bengal and Odisha regions most vulnerable to cyclone Dana

As per IMD forecast, fourteen districts in Odisha are expected to bear the brunt of cyclone Dana: Angul, Puri, Nayagarh, Khordha, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Jajpur, Bhadrak, Balasore, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Ganjam and Mayurbhanj. In West Bengal, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas and Purba Medinipur along with coastal districts and neighboring districts like Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Jhargram and Hooghly will witness the worst impact of the approaching cyclone.

Stay tuned for updates on Hurricane Dana’s path