National/Weather desk
26 October
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
Cyclone Dana has intensified, leaving a trail of destruction on the eastern coast of India. Officials confirmed that two additional deaths occurred in West Bengal’s Vardhaman district, raising the cyclone’s death toll to four. The cyclone made landfall on Friday morning, bringing strong winds that uprooted trees, knocked down power poles, and inflicted significant damage on infrastructure and crops.
Arbind Padhi, Principal Secretary of the Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment Department, reported on social media that extensive agricultural areas are now at risk of severe flooding. Crops grown across an estimated 2,80,000 acres, equivalent to around 1,12,310 hectares, are under threat from the heavy rains and waterlogging brought by Cyclone Dana. These crop losses will significantly impact farmers and could lead to higher prices in the affected regions.
The state government and disaster response teams are working around the clock to restore normalcy. Efforts are underway to clear roads, restore power lines, and assess the extent of damage to both property and crops. Farmers are being advised to take preventive measures, though they face a challenging recovery in the wake of this natural disaster.