India's Gujarat state evacuates over 200,000 people as cyclone hits

AHMEDABAD - More than 200,000 people were evacuated from their homes in the Indian state of Gujarat and authorities shut ports and major airports as the most powerful cyclone in more than two decades made landfall in the state late on Monday.

Rain intensified and several incidents of power outages were reported in the state. Electricity pylons and trees were uprooted and buildings were damaged in coastal areas of Gujarat, state authorities said. With the worst of the storm expected to last for several hours after it slammed into the state's coast, it piles more pressure on Indian authorities already struggling with a huge caseload of COVID-19 infections.