Cyclone Dana’s Impact: Rainfall, Crop Damage, and Temperature Drops Across Eastern India
"Odisha, Bengal, and Neighboring States See Cyclone’s Aftermath; Cooler Temperatures and Rain to Persist in Some Areas"
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Cyclone ‘Dana,’ which arose from the Bay of Bengal, is expected to weaken completely by Saturday night. The storm has caused the deaths of four people across West Bengal’s East Bardhaman, South 24 Parganas, Kolkata, and Howrah districts.
In Odisha, no fatalities were reported, but the cyclone damaged crops over 1.75 lakh hectares of land. Odisha’s Chief Minister, Mohan Charan Manjhi, stated that 800,000 people were evacuated prior to the storm’s landfall.
The impact of ‘Dana’ has also been felt in Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu, with continued rainfall in Bihar and Jharkhand, where temperatures have dropped by six degrees. Rain is expected to persist in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh over the next 24 hours. Odisha’s Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore districts suffered the most damage, with uprooted trees and fallen electricity poles leaving several areas without power.
On Friday, heavy rain battered eight districts in southern Bengal, with Kolkata receiving four inches of rainfall in 24 hours. However, flight and rail traffic in affected areas resumed between 8 and 10 a.m. on Friday.
Remarkably, 2,211 babies were born in Odisha during the cyclone, including 18 sets of twins. Of the 4,859 pregnant women evacuated to birthing centers, 1,858 delivered babies naturally on October 23 and 24.
In Bihar, the effects of ‘Dana’ will linger until Diwali on October 31. Clouds will cover 19 districts through October 28, with light drizzle and winds of 10-20 km/h. Due to strong winds, some crops ready for harvest are falling. In Chhattisgarh, the cyclone’s effects will be felt primarily on Saturday in districts near Odisha, with a yellow alert issued for 12 districts where light to moderate rain is expected. As the cyclone subsides, cooler temperatures will set in, bringing a slight chill to the area.
In Jharkhand, rainfall continues for the third consecutive day, with the IMD predicting more rain across 11 districts. The Kolhan region has seen the most impact, with heavy rainfall recorded in several areas; East Singhbhum’s Ghurabandha received the most, at 71 mm in the last 24 hours.
In Rajasthan, temperatures are expected to remain stable through Diwali and the first week of November, with no strong western disturbances expected in northern India. The weather is likely to remain dry for the next five days, with warm days and cooler nights.
