Bhubaneswar, Oct 26 : Severe Cyclonic Storm Dana has inflicted significant damage on Odisha’s agriculture, impacting an estimated 1.75 lakh acres of standing crops and submerging another 2.8 lakh acres, according to preliminary government estimates.

The state has ordered a joint assessment of the damage by agriculture and revenue department officials, Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment Arabinda Padhi said in a post on X. “Preliminary reports indicate around 1,75,000 acres of crops may be damaged, while approximately 2,80,000 acres remain submerged,” Padhi stated, adding that field teams will survey crop loss exceeding 33% under district collector supervision.

During a review meeting, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi noted that a detailed damage assessment would determine appropriate compensation for affected farmers. He also confirmed that roughly 8 lakh residents were evacuated to cyclone shelters, with many now safely returning home as conditions improve.

The cyclone disrupted power to around 22.42 lakh homes, of which power has been restored to 14.8 lakh households, with restoration efforts continuing in the remaining areas. Energy Department Principal Secretary Hemant Shara is overseeing recovery operations in the severely impacted districts of Kendrapara and Bhadrak.

Cyclone Dana made landfall early Friday between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara and Dhamra in Bhadrak, bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 110 kmph. The storm caused extensive damage to crops, infrastructure, and power networks in both Odisha and West Bengal.

Bhubaneswar, Oct 25 – NDRF and ODRAF teams have commenced restoration efforts by clearing uprooted trees from roads in the coastal districts of Odisha, as the landfall process of severe cyclonic storm Dana continues, according to an official report.

As of 8:23 AM, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) indicated that the landfall process was still ongoing, with the rear sector of the cyclone making landfall. “The landfall process will continue for the next 1-2 hours, and the system is expected to move nearly northwest across northern Odisha, gradually weakening into a cyclonic storm by the forenoon of October 25,” the IMD stated. The situation is being closely monitored by Doppler radar in Paradip.

Odisha’s Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, who is overseeing Bhadrak district, reported no casualties thus far. “There have been no reports of casualties. However, extensive damage has occurred to electrical installations due to fallen trees, and efforts are underway to clear the roads,” he noted.

Despite facing heavy rainfall and gusty winds in the Dhamra area of Bhadrak district, the NDRF and ODRAF teams have begun their work. Ajay Mohanty, the Tehsildar of Rajnagar in Kendrapara district, mentioned that the Bhitarkanika area has experienced minimal damage, primarily consisting of uprooted trees and some thatched houses. “Wind speeds have decreased to between 80 to 90 km/h, but the rain continues to affect the area,” Mohanty added, noting that seawater had entered certain water bodies and low-lying regions during Thursday night’s tidal surge.

Chandabali in Bhadrak recorded the highest rainfall, measuring 131.6 mm over the past six hours, followed by Balasore with 42.8 mm, an official reported. Meanwhile, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is actively reviewing the cyclone situation at the office of the Special Relief Commissioner.

The coastal districts of Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Balasore, and the nearby Jagatsinghpur district have experienced a surge in wind speeds, reaching between 100 to 110 km/h, along with extremely heavy rainfall during the cyclone’s landfall process.

In related developments, authorities at Biju Patnaik International Airport in Bhubaneswar have announced the resumption of flight operations following improvements in weather conditions. The airport had suspended operations from 5 PM on Thursday due to the cyclone’s landfall. Additionally, the Indian Railways cancelled over two hundred trains in anticipation of the storm’s impact.

Bhubaneswar, Oct 25 – The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed on Friday morning that the landfall process of the severe cyclonic storm Dana has been completed. The system took approximately eight and a half hours to fully make its way onto the landmass.

According to the IMD’s hourly bulletin, the landfall process commenced around 12:05 AM on Thursday and concluded at approximately 8:30 AM on Friday. When it made landfall, Cyclone Dana hit with wind speeds reaching 110 km/h but has since weakened and transformed into a cyclonic storm.

As of now, the cyclone is located about 50 km north-northwest of Dhamra and 30 km northeast of Bhadrak town. The maximum sustained wind speeds around the center of the cyclone are reported to be between 80 km/h and 90 km/h, with gusts reaching up to 100 km/h.

The IMD predicts that the cyclone will continue to move northwest across northern Odisha and gradually weaken into a deep depression within the next six hours. The situation is being closely monitored using the Doppler weather radar located in Paradip.

Srinagar, Oct 24: A CCTV image of a Pheran-clad terrorist, allegedly linked to the Gagangir attack in Jammu and Kashmir, has surfaced, though investigators are still determining whether the AK-47-wielding individual was involved in the October 20 assault that claimed seven lives, including six non-local laborers.

The footage shows the suspect entering what is believed to be a prefabricated hut at the Gagangir tunnel construction site, where the deadly attack occurred, according to official sources. However, security officials are working to verify the authenticity of the image.

One puzzling detail is the date stamp on the screen grab, which shows “January 27″—a discrepancy that sources suggest could be due to a settings or technical error. Additionally, the terrorist’s rifle has a distinctive blue marking on the muzzle, similar to those reportedly used in attacks on security forces in the Pir Panjal region, roughly 200 kilometers from Gagangir.

The individual in the footage is not covering his face, despite survivors’ claims that the attackers had concealed their identities. Investigators are cautious about drawing conclusions too soon, with a senior police official emphasizing that commenting prematurely could compromise the ongoing investigation.

Ranchi, Oct 24 – Parts of Jharkhand are expected to witness heavy to very heavy rainfall starting Thursday night due to the impact of cyclonic storm ‘Dana,’ according to an official from the Meteorological Department.

An ‘orange’ alert has been issued for the Kolhan region, which includes the districts of West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharswan, and East Singhbhum, indicating possible rainfall ranging from 115 mm to 204 mm within 24 hours on Friday, the official stated.

In addition to heavy rainfall, the region could experience thunderstorms accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 60 kmph, according to Abhishek Anand, head of the Ranchi Meteorological Centre.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that Cyclone ‘Dana’ is expected to make landfall between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha early Friday, with wind speeds likely to reach up to 120 kmph. As of 2:30 am Wednesday, the cyclone was located 280 km southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 370 km south-southeast of Sagar Island in West Bengal, the IMD bulletin said.

Six teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed in Jamshedpur and Chaibasa, with two additional teams on standby in Ranchi, to address any emergencies that may arise, an official added.

Other areas in central Jharkhand, such as Ranchi, Khunti, Lohardaga, Gumla, and Ramgarh, are also expected to receive heavy rainfall on Friday, according to Anand.

“Light to moderate rainfall is likely in many parts of the state on Thursday, with the Kolhan division expected to be hit hardest by the cyclonic system,” he said.

The inclement weather may also impact political activities in the run-up to the Jharkhand Assembly elections, scheduled for two phases—November 13 and November 20—with the vote counting on November 23. The nomination process for the first phase is set to conclude on October 25, while nominations for the second phase will be accepted until October 29.