Bhubaneswar, Oct 24 (FN Representative) Authorities at Bhitarkanika National Park have issued a high alert and closed the park to tourists until October 25, as Cyclone Dana is expected to make landfall between Dhamara and Bhitarkanika National Park. Sudarshan Gopinath Jadav, the Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Rajnagar Mangrove Forest and Wildlife Division, stated that several mangrove trees could be uprooted, and the mangrove forest at Bhitarkanika could suffer significant damage if the cyclone makes landfall there. However, he added that the impact of the cyclone’s devastation may be minimized because the mangrove forest serves as a natural barrier, reducing the velocity of the wind and the force of tidal surges, thereby protecting nearby coastal villages. Despite this, the cyclone is expected to badly affect the mangrove vegetation planted this year in various areas near creek, nullah, and river banks. During floods, crocodiles may seek to escape hyper-salinity by traveling upstream, making it easier for them to drift into rivers, rivulets, and creeks, carried by the water currents.
With tidal waves of up to 2 meters expected to inundate coastal areas due to Cyclone Dana, there is a high likelihood of wildlife, including reptiles, entering human habitations, Jadav warned. “The challenge during Cyclone Dana is not just protecting people from wildlife threats but also rescuing the animals themselves,” Jadav said. Forest officials also expect the park’s eco-tourism infrastructure to face significant damage if Cyclone Dana makes landfall in Bhitarkanika. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who reviewed the government’s preparedness with the collectors of the eleven districts, informed the press that the evacuation process would be completed within the next few hours. The remaining evacuations are expected to be completed in the coming hours. He also mentioned that about 2,338 pregnant women from the affected areas have already been shifted to hospitals for their safety. Senior and experienced IAS officers have been deputed to oversee the evacuation process at the village and panchayat levels, with nine council ministers also supervising the preparedness measures in the affected districts.
As a safety precaution, the East Coast Railway has already canceled 203 long-distance and local trains for two days. The state government has also closed all educational institutions in 14 districts for three days, until October 25. Railway minister Aswani Vaishnaw on Thursday chaired a high level meeting on the preparedness of the East Coast and Southeastern railways in view of severe cyclone ‘Dana’ likely to hit the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal. Chairman & CEO, Railway Board , all Board Members, General Managers of East Coast Railway and South Eastern Railway, Divisional Railway Managers of Kharagpur, Chakradharpur, Adra and Khurda Road had participated in the review meeting. Vaishnaw has instructed the railways to ensure maximum preparedness with minimal disruption. He also advised that care must be taken to ensure minimum inconvenience to passengers. ECoR sources said as many as 203 trains have been cancelled, diverted, or short-terminated to minimize risk to passengers. Help Desk has been set up at all important stations viz. Puri – 8926100356, Khurda road 8926100215, Bhubaneswar- 8114382371, Cuttack– 8114382359, Paradip- 8114388302, Jajpur Keonjhar Road-8114382342, Bhadrak-8114382301, Palasa- 8114382319, Brahmapur- 8114382340 and frequent Announcements will be made amongst passengers as well as public.