Odisha Begins Restoration And Relief Efforts Following Cyclone Dana's Aftermath

The Odisha government has initiated extensive rehabilitation and restoration efforts in areas impacted by Cyclone Dana, which left widespread damage to public infrastructure, disrupted power supply, and uprooted trees. The severe cyclone made landfall on Friday, October 25, claiming four lives before weakening into a low-pressure system over northern Odisha.

Local rescue teams worked tirelessly, evacuating residents from villages in Odisha’s Balasore and Bhadrak districts, where intense rainfall triggered flash floods. In Balasore and Mayurbhanj, evacuation efforts are ongoing as water levels in the Budhabalang River rise, threatening further flooding.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the low-pressure area over northern Odisha is expected to dissipate by Sunday, October 27. Power has been restored to 92 percent of homes in affected areas, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reported. He added that around 8,09,513 people were evacuated, with 1,10,770 currently sheltered in relief camps, where district administrations are ensuring food supply.

The Balasore district has been significantly impacted, with 20 villages across six gram panchayats in Remuna and Balasore Sadar blocks experiencing flooding. Chief Minister Majhi assured that evacuation efforts are being conducted on a “war footing,” with residents moved to safe shelters and provided with cooked meals.

Damage to farmlands will be assessed once conditions stabilize. Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo reported that 14 districts, including Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jajpur, and Mayurbhanj, were among the most affected.

Meanwhile, the situation has improved in Kolkata, where clear skies returned following heavy rains from Cyclone Dana. However, parts of Hooghly, Bankura, Jhargram, and the Medinipur districts remain waterlogged, with extensive damage to crops like paddy and potatoes. IMD forecasts isolated heavy rains for some districts, with an overall improvement expected by Sunday.