- Tuesday, October 22, 2024
A deep depression is a more intense stage of a low-pressure system and typically precedes the formation of a cyclonic storm
By: Shajil Kumar
ODISHA and West Bengal are bracing for the impact of Cyclone Dana, which is expected to make landfall between Puri and Sagar Island early morning on October 25.
‘Dana’ is likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph.
A well-marked low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal intensified into a depression on Tuesday morning as it rolled towards the eastern coast with the likelihood of turning into a severe cyclonic storm, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
In its bulletin, the IMD said the well-marked low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards, concentrated into a depression and lay centred at 730 km southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 770 km south-southeast of Sagar island in West Bengal around 5.30 am.
Fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea from October 23 to 25, the IMD warned that wind speed is likely to reach 60 kilometre per hour (kmph) along and off Odisha-West Bengal coasts and gradually increase thereafter.
The storm is likely to bring very heavy rainfall in southern West Bengal districts on October 24 and 25, the IMD said.
The weather system will bring heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy downpours at one or two places in the districts of South 24 Parganas, Paschim Medinipur, Purba Medinipur and Jhargram.
Heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely in Kolkata, Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Purulia and Bankura districts between October 24 and 25.
A deep depression is a more intense stage of a low-pressure system and typically precedes the formation of a cyclonic storm, according to the IMD.
The Odisha government has cancelled the leaves of all staff from October 23 to 25 in view of the cyclone forecast.
In a letter to all the departments, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) DK Singh asked them to remain prepared to tackle the challenges of the impending calamity.
Relief measures
Odisha government has kept ready around 800 cyclone shelters for people who will be evacuated from vulnerable areas.
Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management minister Suresh Pujari on Tuesday said officials have so far visited 250 cyclone relief centres where the people will be housed after evacuation.
Food, water, medicine, electricity and other essentials are kept in readiness for the people to be evacuated due to the impending cyclone, he said.
An additional 500 temporary shelters have been made ready including schools and colleges. The officials at the ground level have been instructed to make arrangements for women in cyclone shelters where women police will be deployed, the minister said.
Schools closed
The state government has already ordered closure of schools in Ganjam, Puri, Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Dhenkanal, Jajpur, Angul, Khurda, Nayagarh and Cuttack districts for three days from Wednesday, as a precautionary measure against the cyclone, an official said.
The Odisha government has also cancelled the leave of all staff from October 23 to 25. In a letter to all the departments, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) DK Singh has asked them to remain prepared to tackle the challenges of the impending calamity.
Essential medicines like anti-snake venom, fever, diarrhoea and other common diseases are kept in readiness in cyclone shelters where people are kept after evacuation.
This apart, provision of safe drinking water is made for the people keeping view the possible spread of waterborne diseases in the possible cyclone-affected areas.
The Energy department has made arrangements to ensure supply of electricity immediately after the cyclone, said Energy secretary Hemant Sharma.
Advisory to tourists
The Odisha government has issued an advisory asking tourists to vacate pilgrim town Puri soon.
Pujari issued the advisory after a review meeting on Monday. “The tourists who have come to Puri should leave the seaside pilgrim town soon as the district is likely to be affected by the severe cyclonic storm,” Pujari told reporters.
Pujari said that the Puri district administration has also been asked to discourage people from visiting the pilgrim town from Tuesday till after the cyclone makes landfall as it could cause damage.
Naming of cyclones
As per the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Dana’s name was suggested by Qatar, which means “generosity” in Arabic.
The process of determining names for tropical cyclones is conducted by the relevant tropical cyclone regional bodies at their annual or biennial meetings.
The WMO says that assigning names to tropical cyclones makes it easier to track and discuss specific storms.
The earlier cyclone Amphan, which hit the Odisha and Bengal in 2020, was named by Thailand, and it means “sky”. (Agencies)
