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Mourning ritual on the Periyar River in Kochi, India
Photo:
RS Iyer / dpa
A cyclone has struck the west coast of India, killing people and causing devastation.
At least eight people died in the states of Karnataka, Kerala and Goa, reports the television station NDTV.
Flights to Goa, which is popular with tourists, have been canceled.
In parts of the state, the power went out.
Hundreds of thousands of people were brought to safety
In the three states initially affected, heavy rain and wind had led to floods and severe damage since Friday.
Numerous houses were damaged or destroyed and trees were uprooted.
Hundreds of thousands of people from these areas and the neighboring states of Maharashtra and Gujarat have been brought to safety.
More than 75 rescue teams from the national disaster control were deployed along the coast.
According to a forecast by the Indian Meteorological Agency, the tropical cyclone that formed over the Arabian Sea and then passed Kerala and Karnataka should hit land on the coast of Gujarat on Tuesday.
The authority warned of gusts of up to 175 kilometers per hour and serious damage.
Fishermen have been told not to go out to sea until next Tuesday.
ssu / dpa-AFX