New Delhi: Schools are closed, and over 150 trains have been canceled as Odisha and West Bengal prepare for Cyclone "Dana," which is expected to make landfall between Puri and Sagar Island early on October 25, with wind speeds reaching up to 120 km/h. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported this morning that a deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal has developed into Cyclone Dana.

As of 5:30 am today, the storm was located 560 km southeast of Paradip (Odisha) and 630 km south-southeast of Sagar Island (West Bengal). The IMD stated that the cyclone is likely to move northwest and may intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal by Thursday morning.

The meteorological department has advised fishermen to refrain from going out to sea until October 25.

Schools Close in Odisha

In Odisha, all educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and universities, are closed in 14 districts until October 25 due to the impending landfall of Cyclone Dana. The government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has canceled leave for employees and placed all coastal districts on high alert.

The Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force and fire service personnel are on standby, particularly in Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Balasore, Bhadrak, Ganjam, and Khorda.

Bengal Prepares for Cyclone Dana

In West Bengal, schools in seven districts will remain closed until October 26 in response to Cyclone Dana. The most affected districts are expected to include South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Purba Medinipur, along with coastal areas and neighboring districts such as Paschim Medinipur, Bankura, Jhargram, and Hooghly.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee emphasized the importance of safety, stating, "We do not want to take any risk. Schools and colleges are sometimes used as shelters for people," adding that her government is prepared for the cyclone.

More than 150 express and passenger trains under the South Eastern Railway (SER) have been canceled. This SER zone encompasses West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand. Canceled trains include the Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, Kamakhya-Yesvantpur AC Express, Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express, Howrah-Bhubaneswar Shatabdi Express, and Howrah-Yesvantpur Express. An official noted that these trains were scheduled to depart between October 23 and 25, and more cancellations may occur if necessary.

Cyclone Dana Named by Qatar

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Cyclone Dana was named by Qatar, meaning "generosity" in Arabic. The WMO explains that naming tropical cyclones makes it easier to track and discuss specific storms, especially when multiple storms are active. Naming also reduces confusion among meteorologists, media, emergency management agencies, and the public, while aiding historical record-keeping and research on storm behavior and impacts.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV