Rain likely

Guwahati, Oct 23: Cyclone Dana was likely to bring rainfall to Assam and other North Eastern States over the next few days. According to the Regional Meteorological Centre (RMC) in Guwahati, moderate rain was very likely to occur at many places over Mizoram and Tripura while light to moderate rain was very likely to occur at a few places over Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Manipur.
Meanwhile, Arunachal Pradesh was very likely to witness light rain at isolated places over the next few days, said Sanjay Shaw, Director of RMC in Guwahati. According to a Weather Department bulletin, the well-marked low-pressure area over the Eastcentral Bay of Bengal has concentrated into a depression which will intensify into a severe cyclonic storm over the northwest Bay of Bengal by Thursday.
The official said heavy rain was likely to occur at isolated places in Assam and other North Eastern States on Thursday.
Thunderstorms and lightning will also occur in several places in the North East.
“Weather will improve from October 27 in the majority of North Eastern States except Tripura,” the official added.
The governments in both states increased security measures in anticipation of Cyclone Dana, which was likely to make landfall on the shores of West Bengal and Odisha between Puri and Sagar Island on Thursday.
As the cyclone was expected to bring heavy rain in Odisha and Bengal, the Indian Coast Guard said it was on high alert and had kept its ships and planes to react quickly to any emergency.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has requested all MLAs to work with the government on rescue and relief efforts in Odisha, which is expected to be hardest hit by the storm.
Multipurpose cyclone shelters, flood shelters and other buildings have been identified for the vulnerable population.                              IANS