Cyclone Dana caused significant damage to crops in Bhadrak and Balasore, Odisha, leaving farmers devastated, although no casualties were reported. The severe cyclonic storm brought heavy rainfall and gusty winds of up to 100 km/h, damaging thousands of acres of farmland.
Farmers in Parikula of Balasore district, still recovering from recent flooding, are now facing severe crop losses. One farmer lamented, “I have borrowed money for farming, and now the cyclone has left us in despair. We are left with no option but to consider suicide due to the loan burden.” Another echoed similar sentiments about the repeated losses.
The cyclone made landfall between Bhitarkanika and Dhamra on October 24-25, affecting 1,671 gram panchayats across 14 districts and impacting 35,95,000 people. According to the State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari, standing crops on 1.75 lakh hectares have been severely damaged.
