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NEW DELHI — Authorities in India are evacuating nearly 1.5 million people from the path of an approaching cyclone in the eastern states of Odisha (formerly Orissa) and West Bengal.
Thousands of relief workers have been deployed to minimize damage from Cyclone Dana, which is expected to make landfall in the next 24 hours.
Transportation services have already been affected, with scores of trains and flights canceled.
India’s weather department has said a depression over the Bay of Bengal is expected to turn into a severe cyclonic storm by Thursday evening.
The storm is expected to hit the coastal areas with wind speeds of 100-120 km/h (62-74 mph).
On Wednesday, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said arrangements were in place to ensure the safety of residents in districts along the cyclone’s path.
State officials said they had prepared temporary relief camps with food, water and health facilities.
“We are fully prepared to deal with the storm. Don’t panic, be safe and be careful,” Majhi told the media.
Odisha is evacuating more than a million people from 14 districts, while West Bengal is evacuating over 300,000 people from coastal areas.
Officials from the two states and rescue teams are on alert. Schools in the coastal regions have been shut.
Flight operations from Bhubaneswar and Kolkata city airports have been suspended from Thursday evening to Friday morning and more than 200 trains have been cancelled as authorities brace for the storm.
Fishermen have been warned against venturing into the sea and contingency plans have been made for Paradip port in Odisha to ensure safety of the staff and people living nearby.
The weather department has said “heavy to very heavy” rainfall is expected along the coast for the next 24 hours.
Odisha and West Bengal experience severe storms and cyclones every year.
In 1999, more than 10,000 people were killed in a cyclone in Odisha.
Last year, at least 16 people lost their lives when a cyclone lashed India and Bangladesh. — BBC
