Powerful cyclone hits land in India amid deadly virus surge
Source: AP
By SHEIKH SAALIQ
NEW DELHI (AP) A powerful cyclone that emerged in the Arabian Sea made landfall on Indias western coast on Monday, hours after authorities evacuated hundreds of thousands of people and suspended COVID-19 vaccinations in one state.
Cyclone Tauktae, the most powerful storm to hit the region in more than two decades, came ashore in Gujarat state with heavy rain, a battering storm surge and sustained winds of up to 165 kilometers (103 miles) per hour, the India Meteorological Department said.
Forecasters warned of possible extensive damage from high winds, heavy rainfall and flooding in low-lying areas.
Twelve people were reported dead before the storm hit land and hundreds of thousands were evacuated, a process complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Fishermen try to move a fishing boat to a safer ground on the Arabian Sea coast in Mumbai, India, Monday, May 17, 2021. Cyclone Tauktae, roaring in the Arabian Sea was moving toward India's western coast on Monday as authorities tried to evacuate hundreds of thousands of people and suspended COVID-19 vaccinations in one state. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/india-health-coronavirus-pandemic-44d15dee4d7ca9f154a3f620921c06aa
Ocelot II
(115,752 posts)IronLionZion
(45,463 posts)As people seek shelter from this storm, they'll end up in crowded indoor places making the pandemic even worse.