Bhubaneswar, Oct 21 (IANS): Cyclone Dana is expected to make landfall between north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar islands on October 24.

The low-pressure area developed over the east-central Bay of Bengal and adjoining the north Andaman Sea is likely to intensify into a depression by October 22 morning.

“Continuing to move northwestwards, it is very likely to cross north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island during the night of 24th and early morning 25th October as a severe cyclonic storm with a wind speed of 100-110 kmph gusting 120 kmph,” informed the India Meteorological Department.

The IMD also issued a red alert predicting very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall above 20cm to occur at isolated places in the districts of Mayurbhanj, Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Jajpur, Cuttack on October 24.

Similarly, an orange warning has been issued regarding very heavy rainfall at isolated places in the districts of Puri, Ganjam, Khordha, Nayagarh, Keonjhar, Angul, and Dhenkanal on October 24.

Meanwhile, a red alert has been issued about very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in north Odisha districts such as Keonjhar, Bhadrak, Balasore, and Mayurbhanj for October 25.

The IMD has issued an Orange warning regarding heavy to very heavy rainfall in districts including Jagatsinghpur, Kendrapara, Cuttack, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Deogarh, Sundargarh.

The IMD has also warned about flash floods, water logging in low-lying areas, inundation of agriculture fields, Mudslides/landslides in vulnerable hilly areas, possible damage to roads, and wall collapse of vulnerable houses.

Odisha Revenue Minister Pujari said that the state government is fully prepared to face the possible cyclonic storm and appealed to the people not to panic.

“The collectors of all the districts have been instructed to remain alert for the possible cyclonic storm,” the minister said.