As Cyclone Dana makes landfall in Odisha; here are other most severe cyclones India witnessed over years

As the landfall process of the severe cyclonic storm Dana continued to tear through the Odisha coast since midnight, heavy rains packed with gusty winds lashed parts of southern West Bengal.

According to Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the severe cyclonic storm lay centred over north coastal Odisha, near north-northwest of Dhamara and north-northwest of Habalikhati nature camp (Bhitarkanika).

“The landfall process continues, and the rear sector of the cyclone is entering into land. The landfall process would continue for the next 1-2 hours.”

As the impact of the Cyclone Dana continues to unfold across Odisha and West Bengal, here is a glance at some of the most severe cyclones India has witnessed over the years:

Super Cyclone, 1999

The Super Cyclone of Odisha is considered one of the worst cyclones in Indian history. It caused widespread devastation, particularly in the coastal regions of Odisha.

The cyclone was accompanied by guts winds of up to 260 km/h and had killed over 10,000 people. Over 275,000 homes were destroyed, and millions were left homeless. The storm surge and flooding devastated agricultural lands, leading to long-term economic impacts.

Cyclone Phailin, 2013

Although Phailin was an extremely severe cyclone, the government's effective evacuation efforts helped minimize the loss of life to just 45 people.

However, the cyclone with a wind speed of up to 215 km/hr still caused significant destruction to infrastructure, power grids, and crops at Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Millions of people were displaced.

Cyclone Amphan, 2020

Cyclone Amphan was one of the costliest cyclones in India. Kolkata and other areas of West Bengal, and Odisha were severely impacted, with major disruptions to electricity, transport, and communication.

The damage due to this cyclone with speed 185 km/h was estimated to exceed $13 billion. Around 128 people lost their lives.

Cyclone Tauktae, 2021

Tauktae affected several states on the western coast, including Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Karnataka.

It caused severe destruction to property, displaced tens of thousands, and led to the loss of over 150 lives, particularly in Gujarat.

The cyclone with the wind speed of up to 185 km/h also heavily impacted oil production operations offshore.

Cyclone Fani, 2019

Fani caused major damage in the coastal areas of Odisha and neighboring states of West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh. It disrupted power, water supplies, and telecommunications.

However, the loss of life was reduced to around 89 people due to timely evacuations. The wind speed of Cyclone Fani was up to 215 km/h.

These cyclones underscore the country's vulnerability to tropical storms, especially in coastal regions. Improved weather forecasting, early warnings, and large-scale evacuation efforts have significantly reduced casualties in recent years, but the economic and infrastructural impacts remain substantial.