Cyclone Dana:2 more deaths reported in state, toll rises to 4 Weather improves in city, water recedes from many areas

PTI, KOLKATA, OCT 26, 2024 : Two more persons died in West Bengal due to cyclone Dana, bringing the death toll to four, officials said on Saturday. A civic volunteer, identified as Chandan Das (31), died on the spot when he allegedly touched a live wire in Bud Bud in Purba Bardhaman district. The incident occurred while he was out with a police team, they reported. An employee of the Howrah Municipal Corporation was found dead on a waterlogged road in Tantipara; it is suspected that he drowned.

On Friday, the state reported two deaths due to electrocution. One person died in Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas district, and another in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur area, officials added.

Kolkata's weather on Saturday was marked by clear skies, a day after heavy rains lashed the city due to the cyclone. Water receded from many areas as the rains stopped, providing much-needed respite for the residents, officials said. Kolkata recorded 152.8 mm of rainfall in the 24-hour period until 6:30 am on Saturday.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD), however, indicated that isolated light to moderate showers are likely in some areas of the city during the day. The maximum temperature is expected to reach 30 degrees Celsius, while the minimum will be around 24 degrees.

Although the situation in Kolkata improved, several areas in Hooghly, Bankura, Jhargram, and Purba and Paschim Medinipur districts remained waterlogged. The heavy showers have inundated farmlands, causing damage to crops such as paddy and potatoes, officials said.

The IMD forecasted that isolated heavy rains are likely in Purba Medinipur, Paschim Medinipur, and Jhargram districts, with weather conditions expected to improve from Sunday.

Severe cyclonic storm Dana struck the eastern coast in the early hours of Friday, triggering torrential rain and high-speed winds that uprooted trees and electric poles, causing significant damage to infrastructure and crops in Odisha and West Bengal.