Bhubaneswar: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) today said the impending very severe cyclonic storm Dana is very likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island during the night of October 24 or on October 25 early morning.
In a special bulletin, the IMD said the low-pressure area formed over the East central Bay of Bengal and adjoining north Andaman Sea this morning moved west-nor westwards and lay as a well-marked low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal.
It is very likely to move west-northwestwards and intensify into a depression by October 22 morning and into a cyclonic storm by October 23 over east-central Bay of Bengal.
Thereafter, it is very likely to move northwestwards and reach the northwest Bay of Bengal off the Odisha-West Bengal coasts by October 24 morning.
IMD further said it will continue to move north-westwards, and is very likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island during the night of October 24 or early morning of October,25 as a severe Cyclonic Storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph.
IMD has issued Yellow, Orange, and Red Warnings of light to moderate and heavy rainfall for five days in several districts of Odisha.
The wind speed of 40-50 gusting to 60 kmph is very likely to commence from October 23 evening along & off Odisha-west Bengal coasts. It would gradually increase, becoming gale wind speed reaching 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph from October 24 night till October 25morning.
The sea condition is likely to be rough to very rough from the October 23 evening and would become High from the October 24th evening to the October 25 forenoon over Eastcentral Bay of Bengal adjoining areas of Westcentral Bay of Bengal , North Bay of Bengal and along & off Odisha-west Bengal coasts.
The fishermen are advised not to venture into Eastcentral Bay of Bengal and adjoining areas of Westcentral Bay of Bengal till October 24 and North Bay of Bengal and along & off Odisha, West Bengal, and Bangladesh coasts from October 23 to October 25. The fishermen out at sea are advised to return to coasts very soon.
There would be an impact of the cyclone in Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Puri, Khurda, Mayurbhanj, Kendujhar, Jajpur, Cuttack, Dhenkanal districts, the Met office said.
Major damage to thatched houses/ huts, rooftops may blow off. Unattached metal sheets may fly and minor damage to power and communication lines. There will be possibilities of major damage to Kutcha and some damage to Pucca roads and possibilities of damage to vulnerable structures, it said.
IMD suggested total suspension of fishing operations from October 22 to October 25 over the central and North Bay of Bengal and advised coastal hutment dwellers to be moved to safer places.