Twenty-five years ago, a teenaged Kabita Giri was swept 2km by floodwaters when the super cyclone struck and survived by clinging to the top of a coconut tree for 40 hours. Fourteen members of her family died in a single night.

These dark memories have returned to haunt the now 42-year-old Kabita since she learnt that Cyclone Dana was expected to make landfall near coastal Kendrapara, where she now lives, just as the supercyclone of 1999 did.

Unlike then, a state government wiser from past experience has extensively evacuated coastal villages. Kabita spoke to The Telegraph on Thursday from a cyclone shelter, 1km from her home in Kharnashi village, recounting the horrors of 1999 and praying against a possible rerun.

“I was 17. We lived in Nalagadi of Jagatsinghpur district, about 30km from where I now live (in neighbouring Kendrapara). As the super cyclone struck, a tidal surge accompanied by high winds swept through the area,” Kabita said.

“Some people were buried under the debris of the kutcha houses; many like me were swept away. I clung to the top of a coconut tree.”

When the waters receded somewhat after nearly two days, she climbed down.

“But the water was still flowing at neck level; I could not sight land anywhere. Noticing a power pole with a snapped wire (which indicated a submerged road) and using it as a guide, I somehow waded for about 2km and reached home.”

She added: “But everything had gone. My family of 32 had lost 14 members. I hope this never happens to anyone again, and that this cyclone passes without causing too much damage.”

The supercyclone had ravaged coastal Odisha, particularly Kendraparaand Jagatsinghpur.

Dana was expected to hit land close to the Bhitarkanika wildlife sanctuary in Kendrapara and Dhamara in Bhadrak district on Thursday night.

These areas were lashed by rain since Thursday morning and the sea was turbulent.

A red alert had been sounded for the districts of Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur, Cuttack, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Balasore and Mayurbhanj.

Although the government had put up tens of thousands at shelters, the residents had two big worries.

One, saltwater from the sea would enter their fields and leave them uncultivable. Two, their livestock may not survive.

“I fear for my cows and goats. With the administration forcing us to leave our homes, we untied our cows and secured the goats with chains. Hopefully, when we come back on Friday we’ll find them safe,” said Samir Mistry, 50, from the same cyclone shelter as Kabita.

He explained that the goats are tethered since they might otherwise wander off and drown in the floodwaters. Cows, he said, tend not to venture too far off and, anyway, are better swimmers.

Fisherman and farmer Mohan Haldar, 51, said the supercyclone had swept his grandfather away before his eyes.

“We were casual in our approach at the time. We began shifting only after the supercyclone struck our area,” he said.

“But the tide swept away my grandfather and, the next morning, we found his body near a clump of bamboo. I hope nothing like that happens this time.”

Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi said 19 National Disaster Response Force teams, 51 Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force teams, 220 fire brigade teams and 157 police platoons had been deployed in vulnerable areas.

“As many as 11 districts are likely to be affected,” he said, adding that 92 medical and 58 veterinary teams were on standby in these districts.