Cyclone Dana: Meaning of ‘Dana’, who gave the name? List of trains cancelled

Cyclone Dana is expected to make landfall between Odisha’s Puri and West Bengal’s Sagar Island on the night of Thursday (October 24-25). Dana, which will turn into a cyclonic storm on Thursday, is likely to cause heavy rainfall and windstorms in Odisha till October 25.
The cyclone will cross Odisha and Bengal as a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph, gusting up to 120 kmph.
The Odisha authorities have announced the closure of schools, and educational institutes till October 24. Tourists and pilgrims have also been asked to avoid travelling to Puri till the time while fishermen have been advised not to venture around the beaches.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Odisha is likely to witness heavy rainfall till Oct 24. Earlier, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi chaired a high-level meeting to assess the preparedness.
Dana is an Arabic word that means ‘generosity.’ The name ‘Dana’ or ‘Danah’ holds cultural significance in Arabic culture, signifying ‘the most perfectly sized, valuable, and beautiful pearl.’
It is commonly found in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, known for its rich history of pearl diving.
According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), Dana’s name was suggested by Qatar.
The WMO says that assigning names to tropical cyclones makes tracking and discussing specific storms more “straightforward, especially when multiple storms are active simultaneously.”
At least 1.1 million people have been evacuated from Odisha to storm shelters inland, hours before a powerful cyclone is expected to hammer the low-lying region, ministers said Thursday, AFP reported.
The Odisha government is facilitating the evacuation drives from 3,000 villages in 14 districts to relief camps, an official statement said.
Teams from the NDRF in both Odisha and West Bengal have been placed on standby. Additionally, rescue and relief teams from the Army, Navy, and Coast Guard are on high alert.
More than 300 trains have been canceled by the Indian Railways due to Cyclone Dana. The trains canceled include Howrah-Secunderabad Falaknuma Express, Kamakhya-Yesvantpur AC Express, Howrah-Puri Shatabdi Express, Howrah-Bhubaneswar Shatabdi Express and Howrah-Yesvantpur Express.

All schools and education institutes have been closed in Odisha and West Bengal till October 26 in the wake of Cyclone Dana. Schools, colleges, and other educational institutions will remain closed in 14 districts of Odisha from October 23-25.
The Odisha Public Service Commission(OPSC) has postponed the Odisha Civil Services Preliminary Examination – 2023-24, which is scheduled to be held on October 27. As per the official notice published by the Commission, the revised date for the exam will be notified after a week.