Cyclone Dana: Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), Oct 25: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi commended the administration’s efforts on Friday to achieve zero casualties during Cyclone Dana, which struck the Odisha coast late Thursday. “By the grace of Lord Jagannath and with everyone’s cooperation, the government has successfully saved human lives.
Cyclone Dana made landfall in the early hours of October 25 between the Bhitarkanika and Dhamra coasts, with strong winds reaching 110 km/h and rainfall between 40 to 100 mm in areas like Rajkanika, Rajnagar, and Dhamra,” he stated.
The Chief Minister highlighted that approximately six lakh people were evacuated to safety, which significantly contributed to preventing loss of life.
“Timely precautionary measures, prompt administrative actions, and effective teamwork were crucial for managing this disaster. Our target of ‘zero casualties’ has been achieved. Our administrative officers and rescue teams were active on the ground for over 72 hours,” Majhi said following a post-cyclone review meeting.
He also noted the successful evacuation of about 6,000 pregnant women and the birth of 1,600 babies during this period.
Senior ministers and officials are closely coordinating relief efforts and monitoring the situation. The Chief Minister reported that 571 families are still in waterlogged areas due to the cyclone. “Teams are working to restore electricity in areas where poles and transformers were damaged. We aim to clear uprooted trees from roads by 1 PM today, and the situation is expected to normalize soon,” he added.
