The State Government today declared the closure of all institutions and universities in 14 districts for three days beginning Wednesday (October 23) due to the impending Cyclonic Storm ‘Dana’ over the Bay of Bengal.
In a letter to the Commissioner-cum-secretary of the Higher Education Department, the Special Relief Commissioner requested that the required action be taken in this regard.
Ganjam is one of the districts that would most likely be affected by both wind and severe rainfall. Puri, Jagat Singhpur, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, and Balasore. Mayurbhanj. Keonjhar. Dhenkanal, Jajpur and Angul; Khordha, Nayagarh, and Cuttack.
“…the Colleges and Universities in the above districts from 23 October to 25 October 2024 shall remain closed as a precautionary measure,” the letter read.
According to the SRC, IMD and BBSR predicted that a well-marked low-pressure area over the east-central Bay of Bengal moved west-northwestward and concentrated into a depression today, which is very likely to move west-northwestward and intensify into a cyclonic storm over the east-central Bay of Bengal by October 23.
It is highly likely to build into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal on the 24th, crossing the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island as a severe cyclonic storm on October 24 and 25.
Earlier, the government declared a 3-day shutdown of all schools in the districts most likely to be affected by the tragedy.