Barely two weeks after monster storm hit India killing at least 155 people, another powerful cyclone named Yaas is lashing eastern India.
Authorities are already reporting deaths, with more than 1.2 million people evacuated to low-lying areas.
The cyclone has damaged trees and houses and also forced a suspension on COVID-19 vaccination in the affected areas.
Yaas made landfall with a marginally lower intensity and a wind speed of 130 to 140 Kilometres per hour.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the cyclone has completed landfall and is likely to move north-north-westwards and weaken gradually into a cyclonic storm during the next six hours.
“Landfall process of Cyclone Yaas is complete. Between 10.30 am (05:00 GMT) to 11.30 am (06:00 GMT), it crossed 20km (12 miles) south from the Balasore coast,” IMD director-general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra told Al Jazeera.
“The cyclone is now moving towards Mayurbhanj district and Jharkhand (state),” he said.
The bad weather is mounting pressure on the South Asian country which has been crushed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Official data puts India’s COVID-19 caseload at over 27.4 million after the country reported more than 211,000 new cases in the last 24 hours.
The federal health ministry, further reported 3,847 additional deaths since Wednesday morning pushing the death toll to 315,235.
