Cyclone Dana looms over India's East Coast, evacuations in full swing

A severe cyclonic storm named Dana struck India's eastern coast on Friday, uprooting trees, downing power lines, and flooding several areas. The storm is expected to weaken further into a deep depression by the afternoon.

Dana made landfall shortly after midnight (1930 GMT Thursday), crossing the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal between Puri and Sagar Island, with sustained wind speeds of 100-110 kph (62-68 mph) and gusts reaching up to 120 kph (75 mph). Fortunately, there have been no reports of deaths or injuries.

In anticipation of the cyclone, over 700,000 people were evacuated from coastal regions and moved to shelters in the days leading up to the storm. Odisha closed schools and suspended flights to and from its capital, Bhubaneswar, until Friday morning, evacuating more than half a million residents.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reported on Friday that approximately 216,000 people have been evacuated from affected areas to relief camps. In a press conference, she stated, "Some districts have been affected badly due to the cyclone, especially kachha houses."