With Cyclone Dana expected to make landfall at midnight between October 24 and 25, the East Coast Railway has diverted, short-terminated, or canceled around 203 trains as a safety measure.
General Manager of East Coast Railway, Parmeshwar Funkwal, assured that the railway is “fully prepared” to handle the cyclone’s impact. He said Emergency Response Teams have been stationed, and ‘War Rooms’ are operational to coordinate efforts.
“East Coast Railway is fully geared to face the cyclone. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed us to minimize the impact on passenger services while ensuring maximum safety. Emergency response teams and earth-moving machinery are in place, and war rooms are active at the Railway Board,” Funkwal said.
He emphasized that no passenger trains will operate in cyclone-affected areas. “We have diverted, short-terminated, or canceled around 203 trains, with special focus on the Bhubaneswar-Bhadrak and Paradeep sections,” he added.
In Andhra Pradesh, fishermen have been warned to avoid venturing into the sea on Thursday and Friday, as rough conditions have already been reported near Visakhapatnam. Meanwhile, visuals from Digha Beach in West Bengal’s East Medinipur district show turbulent waves ahead of the cyclone’s landfall.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi highlighted the state’s preparations, aiming for zero casualties. “Our goal is zero casualties. So far, we’ve evacuated over 3 lakh people and moved 2,300 pregnant women to safer locations. More than 7,000 cyclone shelters are ready, and medical and veterinary teams are in place,” CM Majhi said.
The Chief Minister added that ministers have been assigned to oversee operations across 10 districts. “Police deployment ensures public security, and generators have been installed at district hospitals to maintain power supply. NDRF and ODRAF teams are on standby in the affected areas,” he added.
The cyclone is expected to make landfall near Dhamra Port and Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha, with officials on high alert for any emergencies.
(Inputs from ANI)