Cyclone Dana causes ₹600 crore damage in Odisha, affects over 4.1 million people

Bhubaneswar, Nov 4: More than 4.1 million residents in Odisha have been impacted by the severe cyclonic storm Dana and the subsequent flooding in several districts. Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari announced on Monday that preliminary damage estimates from the cyclone amount to approximately ₹600 crores.

During a press briefing in Bhubaneswar, Pujari stated that District Collectors and relevant departments were instructed to submit damage assessment reports by November 2. Reports have been received from 14 districts affected by the storm.

Pujari highlighted that the hardest-hit areas include Balasore, Bhadrak, and Kendrapara, with other districts such as Mayurbhanj, Jajpur, Jagatsinghpur, and Cuttack also suffering significant damage. He noted that the cyclone affected 166 blocks across the state, with 131 of those experiencing varying levels of damage. In total, 11,637 villages were impacted, affecting a population of over 4.1 million.

The Energy Department has reported the most extensive damage. Once the final assessments are completed, the report will be submitted to the central government. Pujari assured that the state has access to central funds and will begin the process of compensating for crop and individual damages even before central funds are released.