Latest news Cyclone "Dana": Hundreds of thousands evacuated on India's east coast

People try to reach safety ahead of the arrival of cyclone "Dana" on the Bay of Bengal in India. Authorities in the states of Odisha and West Bengal have ordered the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people.

Schools have been closed and flights and train services have been canceled, according to media reports. The tropical storm is expected to make landfall late Thursday evening or Friday with wind speeds of up to 110 kilometers per hour, the authorities have warned. The two largest airports in the region will be closed from 18:00 local time. Fishermen have been advised not to go out to sea.

According to the authorities, 300,000 people have already been evacuated from particularly vulnerable areas in Odisha, and a total of one million people have been called upon to seek safety. In West Bengal, the evacuations are being hampered by heavy rain and gusts of wind, reported the Times of India newspaper.

Cyclones often form in the Bay of Bengal between April and November, bringing destruction and flooding to India and Bangladesh. Climate change is increasing the number of such violent tropical storms in the region, experts say.

SDA