Cyclone Dana: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Oct 24: In light of Cyclone Dana, over 200 trains have been cancelled and flight operations have been suspended as the storm is expected to make landfall near Bhitarkanika and Dhamra along the Odisha coast between midnight and Friday morning. The cyclone is forecasted to bring wind speeds of 100-110 km/h, with gusts reaching up to 120 km/h.
Biju Patnaik International Airport will cease operations from 5 PM on Thursday until 9 AM on Friday due to anticipated wind speeds of 70-80 km/h. Bhubaneswar Airport Director Prasanna Pradhan stated, “We expect wind speeds of 35-40 knots or more in Bhubaneswar, which is unsafe for flight operations. Around 40 flights will be affected, with some cancelled, others delayed, and a few rescheduled. A flight to Kuala Lumpur was suspended today.”
Pradhan added that the situation will be reassessed after 9 AM on Friday to determine the status of flight operations. He emphasized that passenger safety is the top priority and noted that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Central Headquarters in Delhi are closely monitoring the situation.
As of 11:30 AM, the severe cyclonic storm was located approximately 180 km southeast of Paradip, 210 km south-southeast of Dhamra, and 270 km south of Sagar Island. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicts the storm will move north-northwest and cross the northern Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island.
