Parts of Jharkhand are expected to experience heavy to very heavy rainfall starting Thursday night due to the influence of cyclonic storm 'Dana,' according to a Met Department official. An 'orange' alert has been issued for the Kolhan region, which includes West Singhbhum, Seraikela-Kharswan, and East Singhbhum districts, for Friday.
The 'orange' alert signifies the possibility of heavy rainfall between 115 mm and 204 mm within a 24-hour period, as stated by the official. Abhishek Anand, in-charge of the Ranchi Meteorological Centre, also noted that the region may encounter thunderstorms and gusty winds, with speeds reaching up to 60 km/h. Six teams of the NDRF have been deployed in Jamshedpur and Chaibasa, while two teams were kept on standby in Ranchi to deal with any emergency situation, another official said.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) reported that the cyclonic storm is expected to make landfall early Friday between Bhitarkanika National Park and Dhamra Port in Odisha, with wind speeds reaching up to 120 km/h. As of 2:30 AM, the weather system was located 280 km southeast of Paradip in Odisha and 370 km south-southeast of Sagar Island in West Bengal, according to a bulletin.
Several parts of central Jharkhand, including Ranchi, Khunti, Lohardaga, Gumla and Ramgarh, may also experience heavy rainfall on Friday, Anand said.