Two more deaths have been reported as a cause of Cyclone Dana's destruction in West Bengal, raising the death toll to 4. Dana had struck the eastern coast in the early hours of Friday and triggered torrential rain along with high-speed winds that uprooted trees and electric poles and caused significant damage in West Bengal.
The deceased has been identified as, a civic volunteer, identified as Chandan Das, 31, who died on the spot after he allegedly touched a live wire in Bud Bud in Purba Bardhaman district and an employee of the Howrah Municipal Corporation in a waterlogged road in Tantipara. The reason behind his death was likely caused by drowning.
The landfall started around 12:05 am on Friday between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara and Dhamra in Bhadrak district of Odisha with wind speeds of around 110 kmph, and ended around 8:30 am.
On Friday, the state reported two deaths caused by electrocution — one in Patharpratima in South 24 Parganas district and one in south Kolkata's Bhabanipur area.
Before the report of the second death, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said that cyclone Dana claimed one life in the state, despite the administration evacuating around 2.16 lakh people from the low-lying areas.
She spent a night at the state secretariat Nabanna to monitor the situation, following which Banerjee held a review meeting, where she directed the officials to ensure that relief materials were provided to all those affected by the cyclone.
Parts of Kolkata face water logging on Friday morning in the aftermath of Cyclone Dana. According to the regional Met office in Alipore, the capital received more than 100 mm of rainfall over the previous 24 hours till 11:30 am on Friday.
Meanwhile, in Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi asserted that no fatality was reported from his state and that it has achieved its 'zero casualty mission'.