The strongest cyclone threatens India in more than a decade bore down on its east coast. As authorities bused and trucked tens of thousands of villagers from their mud and thatch coastal homes to government shelters inland.
The Indian Meteorological Department warned that Phailin was a "very severe cyclonic storm" that was expected hit with maximum sustained winds of 200 kilometres per hour.
A dangerous tropical cyclone rivaling Hurricane Katrina has hit northeast India, a densely populated region where at least 1.6 million people are in direct path of the storm.
Cyclone Phailin is being called "very severe" by the Indian Meterological Department (IMD). The storm is expected to reach Category 5 status on Saturday evening, with wind speeds reaching at least 200 miles per hour, according to The Joint Research Center of the European Commission (JRC).
The IMD estimates that the oceans will surge by 3.0 to 3.5 meters (10 feet to 11.5 feet), enough to inundate the low-lying areas on the east coast of India.
Nearly Eight Lakh people are evacuated and the rescue operation is still on.
For More information on this news visit: http://www.newsx.com/
Connect with us on Social platform at: http://www.facebook.com/newsxonline
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/newsxlive
