Bhubaneswar, Oct 23: The deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal on Wednesday morning intensified into a cyclonic storm 'Dana' and is likely to hit Odisha and West Bengal coasts a day later.

“Yesterday’s deep depression over the east-central Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestwards with a speed of 18 kmph during the past six hours and intensified into a cyclonic storm Dana,” said the India Meteorological Department.

The cyclonic storm is expected to further intensify into a severe cyclonic storm and hit north Odisha and West Bengal coast between Puri district and Sagar Island from the night of 24th October to the morning of 25th October as a severe Cyclonic Storm moves in with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting to 120 kmph.

The Odisha government has taken several precautionary measures, including evacuation of the residents living in around 3,000 identified vulnerable places in affected districts, deployment of Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and Fire Services personnel in these districts.

As many as 288 rescue teams, including 51 ODRAF, 19 NDRF and 178 Fire Services teams have been deployed in 13 districts for rescue and relief purposes after the cyclone Dana hits the land. Around 6,000 cyclone shelters and relief centres to accommodate people evacuated from vulnerable places in the affected districts have been created by the state government. Special arrangements have been made for women at these centres.

The district administrations have also made arrangements for sufficient stock of food items, essential medicines, water and electricity arrangements at the relief centres and cyclone shelters. The state government has targetted to evacuate around 10 lakh people to safer places. The government has also identified more than 8,000 pregnant women who are being shifted to nearby hospitals for safe delivery.

Around 700 electrical gangmen are ready for deployment in affected districts for quick restoration of electricity after the cyclone.

Notably, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had earlier claimed that the state government aims to ensure Zero casualties in the cyclone.

--IANS

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