Bhubaneswar: Severe cyclonic storm ‘Dana’ is very likely to make landfall at Bhitarkanika in Odisha’s Kendrapara district around midnight.

This was revealed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi after a review meeting today evening.

“The cyclone is very likely to make landfall at Bhitarkanika in between 1 am and 2 am tonight,” said the Chief Minister.

According to the IMD, Cyclonic storm ‘Dana’ over northwest Bay of Bengal moved north-northwestwards with a speed of 13 kmph during past 3 hours and lay centred at 10.30 pm today, over the same region, near latitude 20.30° N and longitude 87.20°E, about 50 km east of Paradip, 60 km south-southeast of Dhamara in Odisha and 170 km south-southwest of Sagar island in West Bengal.

According to the Chief Minister, the state government has evacuated as many as 5.84 lakh people from the vulnerable areas to safer places. The authorities have arranged altogether 8,383 cyclone shelters to manage the situation, he said.

“I have discussed the issue with the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister. Ministers and senior officials have been deputed to districts, likely to be affected by the cyclone. We have made all arrangements for the relief and rescue operations,” said the Chief Minister.