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Rescued crew members leave a naval ship
Photo: INDRANIL MUKHERJEE / AFP
The cyclone "Tauktae" raged along the west coast of India with wind speeds of around 200 kilometers per hour.
According to the authorities, 61 people have died so far.
After a barge sank off the coast of the metropolis of Mumbai on Monday, the Indian Navy has now found 22 bodies.
Another 53 people are still missing, said a marine spokesman for the German press agency.
Despite difficult conditions due to high waves, 186 people were rescued with three ships and helicopters who had been on the ship operated by a state oil company.
The oil company said the barge had offshore drilling personnel on board.
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Indian Navy rescue operation
Photo:
INDIAN NAVY HANDOUT / EPA
Because oil rigs were also threatened by high waves because of "Tauktae", the Indian Navy said it rescued more than 600 people from the platforms in the Arabian Sea.
The cyclone caused waves over seven meters high and knocked down trees and power lines in the states of Maharashtra and Gujarat.
As a result, hundreds of thousands of people were cut off from the power supply on Wednesday.
Reuters news agency reported around 16,500 houses destroyed and 600 streets blocked.
Cellular networks have also failed in many areas.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a look at the destruction in his home state of Gujarat.
His government is working "closely with all states affected by the cyclone," said Modi via Twitter.
In preparation for the storm, more than 200,000 people were brought from danger zones to safety.
In some places, Covid 19 patients also had to be relocated.
The vaccination campaign in Gujarat state has been suspended.
It is slated to resume on Thursday, a state health official said.
ptz / dpa / AFP / Reuters