Mamata Banerjee, the chief minister of West Bengal, has declared that schools in nine South Bengal districts—including Kolkata—will be closed until October 26, 2024, for four days. This was done to ensure student's wellbeing and safety in view of Cyclone Dana. The WB School Education Department stated that Cyclone Dana has impacted numerous districts including Howrah, Jhargram, Bankura, Purba Medinipur, Hooghly, Kolkata, South 24 Parganas, North 24 Parganas, and Paschim Medinipur.
Mamata Banerjee stated at a news conference that each of the impacted districts has been given a principal secretary to supervise the issue, as per media reports. The officials will keep an eye on events in the affected districts.
Cyclone Dana
According to a recent warning from the India Meteorological Department, the cyclone is expected to reach the coast of West Bengal by October 24, 2024.
Cyclone Dana is expected to bring severe rainfall to the shores of Odisha and West Bengal on October 24, 2024. Between the evening of October 24 and the morning of October 25, wind gusts of up to 120 kmph are predicted, with maximum wind speeds of 100–110 kmph.
Odisha Civil Services exam postponed
Meanwhile, the Odisha Public Service Commission, or OPSC, has postponed the Odisha Civil Service (OCS) Preliminary Examination 2023-24. The preliminary exam has been postponed owing to Cyclone Dana. The updated date for the preliminary exam, which was previously scheduled for October 27, 2024, will be announced within the following seven days.
