The strongest cyclone threatens India in more than a decade bore down on its east coast. As authorities bused and trucked tens of thousands of villagers from their mud and thatch coastal homes to government shelters inland.<br /><br />The Indian Meteorological Department warned that Phailin was a "very severe cyclonic storm" that was expected hit with maximum sustained winds of 200 kilometres per hour.<br />A dangerous tropical cyclone rivaling Hurricane Katrina has hit northeast India, a densely populated region where at least 1.6 million people are in direct path of the storm.<br /><br />Cyclone Phailin is being called "very severe" by the Indian Meterological Department (IMD). The storm is expected to reach Category 5 status on Saturday evening, with wind speeds reaching at least 200 miles per hour, according to The Joint Research Center of the European Commission (JRC). <br />The IMD estimates that the oceans will surge by 3.0 to 3.5 meters (10 feet to 11.5 feet), enough to inundate the low-lying areas on the east coast of India.<br />Nearly Eight Lakh people are evacuated and the rescue operation is still on.<br /><br /><br /><br />For More information on this news visit: http://www.newsx.com/<br />Connect with us on Social platform at: http://www.facebook.com/newsxonline<br />Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/newsxlive
