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In this video produced by KK Productions, a motorcycle is covered with debris from a house that collapsed when a cyclone hit Nagapattinam, in the state of Tamil Nadu, in the south from India, Friday, November 16, 2018. Hurricane Gaja hit the coast Friday in southern India, killing more than 10 people and damaging homes after the evacuation of more than 80,000 residents. (KK Production via AP) (Associated Press)
NEW DELHI – A powerful cyclone in southern India has killed at least 33 people, caused considerable damage to homes and roads and led tens of thousands of people to relief camps, officials said.
The Indian Navy has assigned two ships and a helicopter to relief operations as state authorities transported drinking water, food and paramedics to nearly 82,000 refugees in more than 400 managed camps by the state.
They were evacuated from areas on the Hurricane Gaja crossing, which hit Friday six districts in the state of Tamil Nadu, with heavy rains and winds reaching 90 kilometers per hour.
Rescuers found 13 bodies Friday and another 20 on Saturday, said Edappadi Palaniswami, the state's highest elected official. Most deaths were caused by floods, house collapses and electrocution.
The cyclone uprooted 30,000 utility poles and more than 100,000 trees, he said. Nearly 10,000 workers are trying to restore electricity supply to the most affected areas, he said.
Palaniswami said that a large number of goats, deer and wildlife had also perished in the floods of the past two days.
According to Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam, a farmers' organization, coconut trees have been uprooted on farmland on thousands of acres of farmland.
The state of Tamil Nadu is subject to cyclones that develop in the Bay of Bengal.
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, disseminated, rewritten or redistributed.
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