Cyclone Dana makes landfall in India

Cyclone Dana, the first post-monsoon storm of the season, made landfall in eastern India during the early hours.

Dana made landfall as a severe cyclone along the coast of West Bengal and Odisha during the early hours of October 25th, the second storm to make landfall along the Indian coast in 2024.

Since landfall, Dana has now weakened to a tropical storm, progressing further inland before weakening to a depression by Friday evening.

Significant rainfall was recorded in the east, with up to 150 mm across Odisha and West Bengal and the highest total of 160 mm reported in the town of Chandbali.

The India Meteorological Department had issued its highest red rainfall warning for these areas.

Prior to landfall, hundreds of thousands were evacuated, with so far, no casualties or fatalities reported. Strong winds reached up to 70 mph along the coast too.

Eastern India is prone to being in receipt of cyclones, but storms here are becoming increasingly severe. 2023 saw India’s deadliest cyclone season in recent history, with a death toll soaring to over 500.