Cyclone Dana Makes Landfall, Kolkata and Nearby Areas on Alert—How Will It Impact the City?

Kolkata: The landfall process of Cyclone Dana commenced on Thursday night. As the cyclone made landfall, various parts of Kolkata reported heavy rainfall, leading to the suspension of 309 flight operations at Kolkata Airport from Thursday evening to Friday morning. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) informed that the cyclone is very likely to move north-northwestward and cross the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island by Friday morning. In response to the cyclone’s landfall, the IMD has issued an orange alert for Kolkata on Friday.

National Bulletin No. 20 based on 2330 hours IST of 24th October, 2024: Severe Cyclonic storm “DANA” :
Landfall process has https://t.co/juWDB9ffxG lay near latitude 20.5° N and longitude 87.1°E, about 50 km east-northeast of Paradip (Odisha), 40 km south-southeast of Dhamara…

— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) October 24, 2024

#CycloneDana | Rain lashes parts of Kolkata city.#Kolkata #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/o0mNfhLNcn

— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) October 24, 2024

The IMD also issued a red alert for areas including East Midnapore, West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas, and Jhargram districts, warning of extremely heavy rainfall. An orange alert has been issued for Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Purulia, and Bankura districts, including Kolkata, due to expected heavy rain. Meanwhile, a yellow alert has been issued for the remaining districts of South Bengal.Today, Kolkata is predicted to experience a generally cloudy sky with heavy rain. The maximum temperature is expected to be 26 degrees Celsius, with a minimum of 23 degrees Celsius. Relative humidity is expected to oscillate between 90 and 91 percent.On Thursday, the IMD issued guidelines in view of Cyclone Dana's potential impacts. Suggested actions include the judicious regulation of onshore/offshore, port, and maritime activities (including shipping), the regulation of surface transport (including railways and roadways), and ferry services. People in affected areas are advised to remain indoors, check for traffic congestion before travel, and avoid areas prone to waterlogging. Kolkata Weekly Weather ForecastAs Cyclone Dana is likely to bring torrential rainfall and heavy winds to Kolkata over the next few days, the city is expected to experience a week of rainfall. On October 24 and 25, the city is predicted to have a generally cloudy sky with heavy rain. The maximum temperature is expected to range between 27 and 28 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature may fluctuate between 23 and 24 degrees Celsius.On October 26, a generally cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershowers is expected. The maximum temperature is predicted to be around 30 degrees Celsius, while the minimum temperature will be 25 degrees Celsius. On October 27 and 28, Kolkata is likely to experience partly cloudy skies, with the possibility of rain or thunderstorms. The maximum temperature is expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will hover around 26 degrees Celsius.Additionally, teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in both Odisha and West Bengal have been placed on standby.