Cyclone Dana makes landfall in Odisha, heavy rain pounds coastal districts

The coastal districts of Odisha were battered by the powerful severe cyclonic storm Dana, which made landfall after midnight on Thursday. The storm, with wind speeds exceeding 110 km/h, caused heavy rainfall and fierce gusts across the region, including parts of West Bengal.
The landfall process started after midnight and continued into Friday morning, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said. The severe cyclonic storm now lay centred over north coastal Odisha, near north-northwest of Dhamara and north-northwest of Habalikhati nature camp. It is expected to move westwards within Odisha, weakening to a “cyclone” before noon. As a result, the “severe cyclone” is unlikely to enter West Bengal, though heavy rain will continue, according to officials.
The gusty winds and heavy downpour caused destruction in several areas, including Vansaba, Bhadrak and Dhamra, which witnessed multiple incidents of tree falls and damage to some structures. Several roads were also closed across the region and all modes of transport were hit.