Cyclone Dana: IMD issues flash flood warning in THESE 16 districts of Odisha amid heavy rainfall

As Cyclone Dana batters Odisha, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted flash floods in 16 districts due to heavy rainfall.

Also Read: Cyclone Dana Live Updates: Kolkata's Netaji Subhash Airport, Odisha's Biju Int Airport resume flight operations

In its update, the IMD indicated that low to moderate flash floods are expected in watershed areas of the state over the next 24 hours.

The districts anticipated to experience flash floods include Angul, Balasore, Boudh, Bhadrak, Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Gajapati, Ganjam, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khurda, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh, and Puri.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), in a post on X, said, “The cyclonic storm “dana” (pronounced as dana) moved north-northwestwards at a speed of 10 kmph and lay centred near latitude 21.25° n and longitude 86.70°e at 0930 hrs ist today, the 25th October, over north coastal Odisha, about 30 km northeast of Bhadrak and 50 km north-northwest of Dhamara. It will likely move northwestwards across north Odisha and weaken gradually into a deep depression during the next 06 hours.”

Odisha Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told ANI, “Wind speed has slowed down. Rain is continuing and we will restore the electricity once the rain stops... We have adequate poles and all the necessary arrangements for that. We thought that we would have to evacuate around 40,000 people in Bhadrak but last night it crossed the 1 lakh mark as more people moved to shelters. Food arrangements have been made, and communication lines and roadways are fine...The situation is under control now. The CM and central Minister Dharmendra Pradhan are taking stock of the situation..”

Also Read: As Cyclone Dana makes landfall in Odisha; here are other most severe cyclones India witnessed over years

'Zero casualty mission 'successful'

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday claimed that the state had achieved its "Zero Casualty Mission" as there has been no report regarding any loss of human life or injury in the severe cyclonic storm Dana, which made landfall on the coast on Thursday night, PTI reported.

Also Read: Cyclone Dana upgraded to ‘very severe storm’; Puri, Cuttack, Hooghly, Kolkata on ‘Red Alert’. Full IMD forecast here

Majhi who reviewed the cyclone situation here in the morning announced that there has been no human casualty in the calamity. “There is no report of any death of any human life. Our zero casualty Mission has been successful with the cooperation of everyone,” Majhi announced.

The chief minister further noted that 1,600 newborns and their mothers are doing well. He noted that the state government has evacuated 4,431 pregnant women to nearby healthcare centers, where 1,600 babies were delivered. "I am pleased to report that the health of all 1,600 newborns is good, and their mothers are also doing fine," he stated.

Majhi added that the cyclone's wind speed has decreased, and the system is moving toward Anandapur in Keonjhar district, from where it will proceed to Dhenkanal and Angul districts.

(With inputs from agencies)