Cyclone Dana struck India’s eastern coast early Friday, bringing powerful winds, heavy rains, and flooding to the states of Odisha and West Bengal. Though the storm tore roofs off homes, toppled trees, and disrupted power lines, early reports indicate that significant casualties have been averted.
The storm made landfall just after midnight with wind speeds reaching up to 120 kilometers per hour, prompting authorities to evacuate over 1.1 million residents to safety shelters in advance. Cyclones, equivalent to hurricanes or typhoons, are frequent in the northern Indian Ocean and have historically caused extensive damage and loss of life. District officials in Odisha’s coastal town of Puri reported widespread damage to local infrastructure. “The storm has left a trail of destruction,” said district official Siddarth Swain. “Many trees and electric poles are uprooted, and makeshift shops on the sprawling beach have been blown away.” The coastal areas of Puri were flooded after Dana triggered a surge in sea levels, reaching up to 3.75 feet in some areas, causing waterlogging and localized flooding.
In the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest spanning parts of West Bengal, the cyclone’s intense winds uprooted hundreds of trees, further endangering this delicate ecosystem. Bankim Chandra Hazra, a minister in West Bengal, confirmed extensive damage in the Sundarbans region. “Gale force winds have uprooted trees, and the cyclone damaged hundreds of homes, tearing roofs from buildings in coastal areas,” Hazra noted.
Major disruptions in air travel were reported as authorities closed major airports on Thursday night, including Kolkata’s international airport. Kolkata, India’s third-largest city and a key travel hub, was hit by heavy rainfall, complicating travel and affecting residents in low-lying areas.
Officials have praised early evacuation efforts, saying the advance warning and prompt relocation of at-risk residents likely minimized casualties. Although search and rescue teams remain on standby, no fatalities have been reported, which officials attribute to the large-scale evacuation effort.
