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In one of India's largest preventive evacuations, authorities are relocating approximately 1.5 million people as Cyclone Dana bears down on the eastern states of Odisha and West Bengal. The cyclonic storm, carrying wind speeds of 100-120 kilometers per hour (62-74 mph), is expected to make landfall by early Friday, prompting a massive mobilization of emergency resources.
"We are fully prepared to deal with the storm," declared Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, as state officials orchestrated the movement of over one million residents from 14 districts to more than 5,000 emergency shelters. West Bengal has simultaneously initiated the evacuation of 300,000 people from its coastal regions, demonstrating the unprecedented scale of this protective operation.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasts "heavy to very heavy rainfall" along the coastal areas, with some regions expected to receive more than eight inches of precipitation. Suresh Pujari, Odisha's Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management, confirmed the establishment of comprehensive relief camps equipped with essential food, water, and health facilities.
The approaching cyclone has triggered widespread disruptions to transportation networks. Aviation authorities have suspended operations at both Bhubaneswar and Kolkata airports from Thursday evening through Friday morning. Indian Railways has cancelled over 200 trains, while maritime activities, including fishing operations near Paradip port, have been completely halted.
The response to Cyclone Dana reflects lessons learned from the catastrophic 1999 cyclone that claimed over 10,000 lives in Odisha. Since then, the state has significantly enhanced its disaster preparedness, establishing dedicated management agencies and developing robust evacuation protocols. This institutional memory has informed the current rapid response, particularly in protecting vulnerable communities residing in low-lying coastal areas.
Military assets have been mobilized to support civilian authorities, with the Indian Navy deploying disaster relief teams. Educational institutions across dozens of districts in both states have suspended classes and examinations since Wednesday, while the IMD has warned of potential damage to infrastructure, including houses, roads, power lines, and crops.
