Odisha, Bengal receive heavy rainfall as Cyclone 'Dana' set to make landfall

The severe cyclonic storm "Dana" is predicted to make landfall in Odisha early on Friday between Dhamra Port and Bhitarkanika National Park, with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometres per hour (kmph).

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to affect several coastal districts in Southern West Bengal and Odisha, the Indian Metrological Department (IMD) said. Jharkhand will also see a lot of rain due to the cyclone.

As the storm got closer to the state's shore, the IMD reported that Thursday morning saw squally winds and a lot of rain in Odisha's coastal belt. In the last four hours, Rajnagar in the Kendrapara district received 24 mm of rain, while Paradip recorded the maximum rainfall of 62 mm, according to the Met Department, the New Indian Express reported.

Manorama Mohanty, director of the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar, stated, "The severe cyclonic storm is likely to re-curve slightly towards west and west-southwards after landfall, triggering rain in southern Odisha around October 26.”