Cyclone Dana hits India as hundreds of thousands of its citizens are evacuated

Heavy rain and strong winds lashed parts of eastern India as a tropical storm pounded coastal areas and rescue teams braced for its impact.

According to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Tropical Cyclone Dana made landfall along the northern coast of Odisha state as the equivalent of a tropical storm in the Atlantic basin with winds of 110 km/h.

Dana is said to have brought between 50-150 millimeters of rainfall across Odisha and West Bengal state, with the highest total of 160 mm reported in Chandbali town.

Before landfall, authorities evacuated hundreds of thousands of people, closed schools and canceled flights in parts of the country. CNN, the Telegraph reports.

Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (India MET) issued the highest rainfall warning for parts of Odisha and West Bengal.

Authorities planned to evacuate more than 1 million people from 14 districts.

Otherwise, India's east coast has long been prone to cyclones, but the number of intense storms is increasing along the country's coast.

Last year was India's deadliest cyclone season in recent years, killing 523 people and costing an estimated $2.5 billion in damages. /Telegraph/