Bhubaneswar, Oct 26 : Severe Cyclonic Storm Dana has inflicted significant damage on Odisha’s agriculture, impacting an estimated 1.75 lakh acres of standing crops and submerging another 2.8 lakh acres, according to preliminary government estimates.
The state has ordered a joint assessment of the damage by agriculture and revenue department officials, Principal Secretary of Agriculture and Farmer Empowerment Arabinda Padhi said in a post on X. “Preliminary reports indicate around 1,75,000 acres of crops may be damaged, while approximately 2,80,000 acres remain submerged,” Padhi stated, adding that field teams will survey crop loss exceeding 33% under district collector supervision.
During a review meeting, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi noted that a detailed damage assessment would determine appropriate compensation for affected farmers. He also confirmed that roughly 8 lakh residents were evacuated to cyclone shelters, with many now safely returning home as conditions improve.
The cyclone disrupted power to around 22.42 lakh homes, of which power has been restored to 14.8 lakh households, with restoration efforts continuing in the remaining areas. Energy Department Principal Secretary Hemant Shara is overseeing recovery operations in the severely impacted districts of Kendrapara and Bhadrak.
Cyclone Dana made landfall early Friday between Bhitarkanika in Kendrapara and Dhamra in Bhadrak, bringing heavy rain and winds of up to 110 kmph. The storm caused extensive damage to crops, infrastructure, and power networks in both Odisha and West Bengal.
