Image: TwitterGusts as strong as 200km/h have been recorded.
Two people are reported to have been killed as Tropical Cyclone Fani made landfall in eastern India, tearing down homes, trees and power lines and causing massive damage in the tourist town of Puri.
Boats, buses and trains have been used to transport over a million people to safety as gusts of up to 200km/h cause havoc.
Fani spent days building up power in the northern reaches of the Bay of Bengal before it struck the coast of the state of Odisha, the state-run India Meteorological Department said.
The National Disaster Management Authority in India has warned people along the east coast against going out to sea due to the “phenomenal” conditions.
This is exactly what one should NOT do during a cyclone. Request you to please go to a safe place. #CycloneFani https://t.co/jCXen8C6ql
— NDMA India (@ndmaindia) May 3, 2019
It also warned of the potential "total destruction of thatched houses" as well as "extensive damage" to other structures in the area.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, the cyclone is expected to move north to northeastwards and weaken into a very severe cyclonic storm on Friday evening into Saturday, when it is expected to reach Bangladesh.
Fani is the first extremely severe cyclone to hit India since 2004.
