More than a million residents are evacuating parts of eastern India with the help of authorities, as Cyclone Dana barrels towards the state of Odisha bearing 110kph winds.
At least 300,000 people had already left their homes by Thursday, with the storm forecast to make landfall late on Thursday night or Friday morning.
Dana, meaning pearl in Arabic, was strengthening over the Bay of Bengal and is expected to become a "severe cyclonic storm" as it makes landfall. The India Meteorological Department said it was likely to come ashore between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port, with potential gusts of 110kmph.
“It is very likely to move north-north-westwards and cross the north Odisha and West Bengal coasts between Puri and Sagar Island,” the department posted on social media site X.
The weather agency warned of a storm surge up to two metres that could inundate low-lying areas. Mohan Charan Majhi, Chief Minister of Odisha, said: “Three districts are likely to be severely affected. Steps are being taken to evacuate people from danger zones. The remaining will be taken to safety by 11am on Thursday."
Bhitarkanika National Park in Kendrapara district is a mangrove wetland home to endangered saltwater crocodiles and olive ridley turtles. About 140,000 indigenous people also live in the park. Manas Kumar Das, assistant conservator of forests in Odisha, said his staff were relocating residents out of harm's way and rounding up vulnerable animals to take them to safety.
“There are several challenges; evacuating local people, cleaning the roads and rescuing animals,” Mr Das said.
In the neighbouring state of West Bengal, authorities have moved more than 100,000 people into evacuation shelters. Heavy rain and strong winds are already affecting more than half a dozen districts.
"We are now in a moment of crisis,” said state governor CV Ananda Bose. "Cyclone Dana is nearing but we in Bengal have braved many storms and will face it with confidence and fortitude."
Teams from India's National Disaster Response Force are on hand in each state, while rescue crews from the army, navy and coastguard are on high alert. Indian Railways has cancelled nearly 200 trains, while aviation authorities suspended flights at Biju Patnaik Airport in Bhubaneswar, Odisha’s capital on Thursday, as well as at the main airport in Kolkata.
India’s coastline on the Bay of Bengal – the largest bay in the world – is a hotbed of tropical cyclones and is prone to extreme climatic events. Eight of the 10 deadliest cyclones on record have originated over the bay, according to Weather Underground. In the past two decades, Odisha, which is home to 47 million people, has been hit by 10 cyclones, including super cyclones that have killed tens of thousands of people and displaced millions. In 1999, the region was devastated by the Great Odisha Cyclone, in which 10,000 people lost their lives.
However, advancements in weather forecasting and cyclone warning systems have in recent years enabled authorities to minimise damage from storms through mass evacuation.
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
Based: Dubai and Bahrain
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $150,000
Current staff: 12
Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Racecard
6.30pm: Mazrat Al Ruwayah Group Two (PA) US$55,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.05pm: Meydan Trophy (TB) $100,000 (Turf) 1,900m
7.40pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (D) 1,200m
8.15pm: Balanchine Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
8.50pm: Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,000m
9.25pm: Firebreak Stakes Group Three (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,600m
10pm: Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
The National selections: 6.30pm: RM Lam Tara, 7.05pm: Al Mukhtar Star, 7.40pm: Bochart, 8.15pm: Magic Lily, 8.50pm: Roulston Scar, 9.25pm: Quip, 10pm: Jalmoud
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Match info
Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
SPECS
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TEST SQUADS
Bangladesh: Mushfiqur Rahim (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar, Imrul Kayes, Liton Das, Shakib Al Hasan, Mominul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Sabbir Rahman, Mehedi Hasan, Shafiul Islam, Taijul Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Taskin Ahmed.
Australia: Steve Smith (captain), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Hilton Cartwright, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Matthew Wade, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Renshaw, Mitchell Swepson and Jackson Bird.
Play-off fixtures
Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14
- Northern Ireland v Switzerland
- Croatia v Greece
- Denmark v Ireland
- Sweden v Italy
UAE players with central contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Chirag Suri, Rameez Shahzad, Shaiman Anwar, Adnan Mufti, Mohammed Usman, Ghulam Shabbir, Ahmed Raza, Qadeer Ahmed, Amir Hayat, Mohammed Naveed and Imran Haider.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
