Amidst eastern India, over a million individuals have sought refuge inland.
With Cyclone "Dana" looming, over a million individuals in eastern India are scrambling inland. In Odisha, close to a million residents have been relocated from coastal regions to shelters, as per the state's health minister, Mukesh Mahaling, on Thursday. Within the adjacent state of West Bengal, over 100,000 people have been shifted to secure sites, as per authorities.
As per the Indian Meteorological Department, the cyclone is due to hit the coasts of West Bengal and Odisha late on Thursday evening, with wind speeds reaching up to 120 kilometers per hour. The area is inhabited by approximately 150 million people.
The storm's eye is anticipated to make landfall close to the coal export port of Dhamra, about 230 kilometers southwest of Kolkata. Major airports, including Kolkata, which has already experienced heavy downpours, are scheduled to shut down overnight.
The impacts of the cyclone are also predicted to extend to India's neighboring nation, Bangladesh. The government is on high alert and closely tracking the cyclone's movements, according to Bangladesh's disaster management minister, Faruk-e-Azam. However, no evacuation orders have been given yet.
The cyclone's potential damage is estimated to affect a significant portion of India's population, with approximately 150 million people living in the affected areas. To mitigate the impacts, authorities in West Bengal have relocated over 100,000 people to secure sites, while in Odisha, nearly a million residents have been moved to shelters.
