Severe Cyclonic Storm Dana[a] (/ˈdɑːnə/) was a tropical cyclone which affected the states of West Bengal and Odisha in India.[2] The third cyclonic storm and second severe cyclonic storm of the 2024 North Indian Ocean cyclone season, Dana formed from a low pressure area that the Indian Meteorological Department first monitored on October 20.

Severe Cyclonic Storm Dana
Dana at its peak intensity over the Bay of Bengal on October 24
Meteorological history
FormedOctober 22, 2024
SubtropicalOctober 25, 2024
DissipatedOctober 26, 2024
Severe cyclonic storm
3-minute sustained (IMD)
Highest winds110 km/h (70 mph)
Lowest pressure984 hPa (mbar); 29.06 inHg
Category 1-equivalent tropical cyclone
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/JTWC)
Highest winds130 km/h (80 mph)
Lowest pressure984 hPa (mbar); 29.06 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities7+
Injuries12+
Missing4+
Evacuated500,000
DamageMinimal
Areas affected

Part of the 2024 North Indian Ocean cyclone season

Meteorological history

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Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
  Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

Severe Cyclonic Storm Dana rose from a cyclonic circulation which formed over the Andaman Sea on October 19 from which low pressure area formed in the south Bay of Bengal at 23:30 IST on October 20. It moved northwestwards and formed a well marked low pressure area at 11:30 IST on October 21. It concentrated into a depression at 05:30 IST on October 22, 770 km south-southeast of Sagar Island.[3] At 16:30 IST, Joint Typhoon Warning Centre issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the depression. By 17:30 IST, it had consolidated into a deep depression and was 740 km south-southeast of Sagar Island, moving in a west-northwestern direction at a speed of 7 km/h.[4] Over the next 6 hours, it intensified into cyclonic storm Dana; moving with a speed of 18 km/h and lay centered 630 km from of Sagar Island at 05:30 IST of October 23. It further intensified into a very severe cyclonic storm at 23:30 IST; moving at a speed of 15 km/h and lay centered about 420 km from Sagar Island. At 11:30 IST on October 24, the storm was 270 km south of Sagar Island and was moving at a speed of 13 km/h and by 21:30 IST it was 190 km south-southwest of Sagar Island and was moving towards the Odisha coast at a speed of 15 km/h.[5]

 
Cyclone Dana on October 24 as observed by the doppler radar in Paradip.

At 23:30 IST on October 24, the storm started making landfall. It crossed the North Odisha coast close to Habalikhati Nature Camp (Bhitarkanika) and Dhamra Port between 01:30 IST and 03:30 IST on October 25 as a severe cyclonic storm. It lay centered about 20 km south-east and at 02:30 IST and 10 km north of Dhamra Port and 20 km north-northwest of Habalikhati Nature Camp at 03:30 IST, moving with a speed of 12 km/h with wind speeds of 110 km/h and gusts reaching upto 130 km/h. At 07:30 IST, the storm moved north-westwards at a speed of 10 km/h and was 30 km and 50 km north-northwest of Dhamra Port and Habalikhati Nature Camp(Bhitarkanika) respectively.

 
Cyclone Dana at 07:45 IST on October 25. This image was taken by INSAT satellite.

Subsequently, the system got surrounded by anti-cyclone conditions on east and west sides and encountered heavy wind shear.[6] So it weakened into a cyclonic storm and completed the landfall process at 08:30 IST with wind speeds of 80-90 km/h and gusts of upto 100 km/h. It lay 30 km northeast of Bhadrak and 50 km north-northwest of Dhamra Port, moving at a speed of 10 km/h.[7] As it weakened, it moved further inland in a north-northwestward direction, under the influence of the subtropical ridge to its west, at a speed of 7 km/h. At 12:30 IST it was 40 km north-northeast of Bhadrak and 70 km north-northwest of Dhamra with wind speeds of 65 km/h and gusts up to 85 km/h.[8] It weakened further into a deep depression with wind speeds of 55 km/h and gusts of 75 km/h and at 14:30 IST it was 40 km north-northwest of Bhadrak.[9] After this, the remnants of the storm weakened further into a depression about 50 km northwest of Bhadrak and 70 km east-southeast of Keonjhar at 23:30 IST on October 25 and remained stationary over that area.[10] Subsequently it weakened into a remnant low and finally dissipated on October 26.[11]

 
Satellite imagery of the remnants of the Dana cyclone on October 25.

Preparations

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Almost 500,00 people were evacuated in Odisha by 21:00 IST. In West Bengal almost 2.4 lakh people took shelter in relief camps. [12] To ensure the safety of the people, the Odisha State Government deployed 288 rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), and fire services. In South Bengal, the NDRF deployed several teams to respond to any emergency situation. The Indian Coast Guard was on high alerts and mobilised its vessels and aircrafts to respond to any emergency over the Bay of Bengal. The Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation deployed 6,000 men and 200 patrol vans to carry swift repairs after cyclone.[13] Nearly 400 train services were cancelled or diverted by Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway and East Coast Railway to ensure public safety. Kolkata Airport and Bhubaneswar Airport suspended flights from 18:00 IST on October 24 until 09:00 IST on October 25.[14]

Impact

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Casualties by state
Country Region Deaths Missing
India Odisha 1 (Indirect) Un­known
West Bengal 4 4
Bangladesh Barisal 1 0
Meherpur 1 0
Total 7 4

India

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Odisha

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In Odisha, six hours before landfall, multiple roads were blocked by uprooted trees. Up to 62 mm (2.4 in) of rain was recorded in Paradip.[15] Power infrastructure was hit in isolated parts of Bhadrak and Kendrapara districts.[16] An elderly woman died of a heart attack at an evacuation center in Kendrapara District.[17]

West Bengal

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Three people in West Bengal died from electrocution. In south Kolkata’s Bhowanipore, 20-year-old Saurabh Prasad Gupta was electrocuted to death in a waterlogged street; a person died of electrocution in Patharpratima, South 24 Parganas, while trying to fix broken cables in his home; and, on Friday morning, civic volunteer Chandan Hazra (32), accompanying a police team, was electrocuted to death when he accidentally touched a live wire in Bud Bud, Burdwan East.The other death was in Howrah’s Tantipara, where Gautam Chattopadhyay (38), a Howrah Municipal Corporation conservancy worker returning home from work, was found dead in a waterlogged street. This, the authorities said, may have been from drowning [17] In Murshidabad, four people were missing after strong winds from Dana caused several boats to capsize in the Ganges river.[18] In Kolkata, 152.8 mm (6.02 in) of rain was recorded from 6.30 a.m. of 25 October to 6.30 a.m. of 26 October, causing severe waterlogging.[17]Jodhpur Park in Kolkata recorded more than 190 mm (7.5 in) between 4 am and 8 pm on Friday. [19]

Bangladesh

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In Betagi, Barguna District, a farmer was crushed to death by a falling tree due to the cyclone.[20] The cyclone also destroyed seven houses and injured three people in Patuakhali District.[21] A three-year-old boy drowned at a lake in Gangni, Meherpur District.[22] Falling trees also destroyed some homes and schools in Kathalia.[23]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The name was suggested by Qatar, which is an Arabic word meaning "generosity". Meanwhile, Dana (Arabic: دانة) holds cultural significance in Arabic culture, signifying ‘the most perfectly sized, valuable, and beautiful pearl.’[1]

References

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  1. ^ "Cyclone Dana explained: Meaning of 'Dana', who gave the name? List of trains cancelled". Hindustan Times. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Cyclone Dana upgraded to 'very severe storm'; Puri, Cuttack, Hooghly, Kolkata on 'Red Alert'. Full IMD forecast here". LiveMint. 24 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Special tropical weather outlook for the next 168 hours issued at 04:00 UTC of 22.10.2024" (PDF). IMD.
  4. ^ "Special tropical weather outlook for the next 168 hours issued at 12:00 UTC of 22.10.2024" (PDF). IMD.
  5. ^ "Cyclonic storm over East Central Bay of Bengal" (PDF). IMD.
  6. ^ "Why Cyclone Dana could not gain strength". OdishaTv.
  7. ^ "Hourly Update on Severe Cyclonic storm Dana, Bulletin no. 16" (PDF). IMD.
  8. ^ "Hourly Update on Severe Cyclonic storm Dana, Bulletin no. 20" (PDF). IMD.
  9. ^ "Hourly Update on Severe Cyclonic storm Dana, Bulletin no. 22". IMD.
  10. ^ "National Bulletin no. 27 (BOB/06/2024)". IMD.
  11. ^ "Well marked low pressure area (remnant of severe cyclonic storm Dana)". IMD.
  12. ^ "Over 5 lakh evacuated in Odisha and West Bengal as severe cyclone Dana hits Odisha coast". The Hindu.
  13. ^ "Cyclone 'Dana' to make landfall early Friday; Odisha, Bengal receive heavy rainfall". The Indian Express.
  14. ^ "Over 5 lakh evacuated in Odisha and West Bengal as severe cyclone Dana hits Odisha coast". The Hindu.
  15. ^ "Heavy rain batters Odisha, Bengal as severe Cyclone Dana nears coast". India Today. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  16. ^ "Over 5 lakh evacuated in Odisha and West Bengal as severe cyclone Dana hits Odisha coast". The Hindu.
  17. ^ a b c "Cyclone Dana sting in tail floods Kolkata, 4 die across state since daybreak". Times of India. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  18. ^ "Four feared dead as wind flips multiple boats and dinghies in Murshidabad". The Telegraph. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  19. ^ "Cyclone Dana: Sharp spells in two phases floods roads". The Telegraph. 26 October 2024. Retrieved 26 October 2024.
  20. ^ "ঘূর্ণিঝড় দানা: বরগুনায় গাছ চাপা পড়ে কৃষকের মৃত্যু". The Daily Star (in Bengali). 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Cyclone Dana destroys 7 houses in Patuakhali, 3 injured". Daily Bangladesh. 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  22. ^ "গাংনীতে পানিতে ডুবে শিশুর মৃত্যু". Shomoyer Alo (in Bengali). 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  23. ^ "বরিশাল বিভাগে ব্যাপক ঝড়-বৃষ্টি, বসত ঘর বিধ্বস্ত, নিহত ১". risingbd.com (in Bengali). 24 October 2024. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
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