The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a severe weather warning as a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensifies into Cyclone Dana. The storm is projected to make landfall along the coast of Andhra Pradesh on October 28. Authorities in both Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have ramped up emergency preparations to mitigate the impact of the cyclone.
Forecasters anticipate that the storm will bring gale-force winds reaching speeds of 115 to 125 km/h, with occasional gusts peaking at 140 km/h. Consequently, coastal regions stretching from Bapatla to Visakhapatnam have been placed under high alert.
While the cyclone is expected to cross the coast in Andhra Pradesh, heavy to very heavy rainfall is forecast for southern and coastal districts of Odisha. In response, the Odisha government has declared a holiday for schools and colleges on October 28 and 29 across five districts: Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati, and Ganjam.
Emergency response efforts are currently underway, with 60 teams from the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force, 17 teams from the National Disaster Response Force, and 225 fire service units deployed to the region. In Ganjam district alone, officials have established 100 cyclone relief centers and 1,000 temporary shelters to accommodate those displaced by the storm.
