Kolkata, Oct 23 (IANS): The impact of Cyclone Dana on West Bengal is unlikely to be anywhere near the devastation caused by Cyclone Amphan in 2020, which was the strongest after the 1999 Odisha Cyclone, said officials from the Regional Meteorological Office in Kolkata.

As per the latest information available, Cyclone Dana currently exists at a place somewhat between 560 kilometres from Paradeep in Odisha, less than 700 km from Sagar Islands in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh.

As per predictions from the said office, Cyclone Dana is likely to make landfall sometime between 11 p.m. on Thursday and 5 a.m. on Friday at a place between Puri in Odisha and Sagar Islands in South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal.

Officials from the meteorological office said that since its formation, Cyclone Dana has slowly started becoming powerful. Already dark clouds have covered the skies in different coastal areas of West Bengal. The sky is also cloudy in the state capital of Kolkata.

Red and Orange alerts have been issued in certain districts in South Bengal, especially in the coastal district, for the next two days, where heavy rainfall has been predicted.

As per the Meteorological office prediction, after the landfall, the wind speed at the coastal areas of West Bengal is likely to be around 120 km an hour, and in Kolkata, the maximum wind speed is expected to be around 80 km an hour at that point of time.

The office has also cautioned about the possible impact on the communication system by the landfall. The other likely impacts will be on the embankments in the Sunderbans area in South 24 Parganas district, harvestable crops on the farmlands in certain districts in South Bengal and collapse of mud-houses or shanties, among others.

The three coastal districts of East Midnapore, South 24 Parganas and North 24 Parganas are expected to witness maximum and most heavy rainfall as an impact of the landfall of Cyclone Dana.

Meanwhile, the West Bengal government has announced precautionary measures given the looming crisis. The educational institutions in nine districts of South Bengal are closed from October 23 to October 25. State-level and district-level control rooms have been opened.

The fishermen are being barred from going to the deep sea. The district administrations have been asked to shift the people residing in the low-lying areas to safer places.