BHUBANESWAR, Oct 25: Flight services at Bhubaneswar’s Biju Patnaik International Airport resumed at 8 am on Friday, following a temporary suspension due to Cyclone Dana. The cyclone made landfall along the Odisha coast, prompting precautionary measures, according to airport officials. Similarly, flight operations at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, which were halted on Thursday, also resumed at the same time.
Cyclone Dana made landfall between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara district and Dhamra in Bhadrak, with wind speeds of up to 110 kmph. Bhubaneswar airport had earlier suspended flights from 5 pm on October 24 until 9 am on October 25, but services resumed one hour earlier than anticipated. The cyclone caused heavy rainfall, strong winds, and turbulent seas, particularly impacting Dhamra and Bhadrak. Districts such as Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Balasore, and Jagatsinghpur faced intense downpours and gusty winds.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is overseeing the situation, alongside Minister of Revenue and Disaster Management Suresh Pujari and Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja at Rajiv Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. The Chief Minister reported that around 5.84 lakh people have been safely evacuated to shelters.
Bus services at the Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar Bus Terminal (BSABT) in Bhubaneswar were also affected by the cyclone. Sandeep Kumar Behera, Bhadrak’s Assistant Fisheries Officer, confirmed that all fishermen and boats were safely anchored before the storm. He noted that damage assessments will be carried out post-cyclone, and actions will be taken according to government protocols.
The Director of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Manorama Mohanty, stated that Cyclone Dana continues to remain strong with wind speeds between 100-110 kmph and is expected to move northwest across northern Odisha, gradually weakening.
