Cyclone Dana uproots trees, snaps power lines on India's east coast

A "severe cyclonic storm" pounded India's eastern coast on Friday, uprooting trees, snapping power lines and inundating some areas, authorities said, adding that no deaths or injuries were reported.

Cyclone Dana made landfall in Odisha state around midnight with wind speeds of 100-110 kmph (62-68 mph), gusting up to 120 kph (75 mph), but weakened into a cyclonic storm by forenoon, the weather department said.

It is expected to weaken further into a deep depression in the afternoon.

Odisha had closed schools, suspended flights to and from its capital city of Bhubaneswar until Friday morning, and evacuated more than half a million people in anticipation of the storm.

"We don't have any reports of damage to life or property, only damage to trees. Power in the affected area will be restored by late afternoon," said Dilip Routrai, administrative chief of the region where the cyclone made landfall.

Ports and industries in the state did not sustain any damage, he said.

Paradip port, where work was suspended since Wednesday, had resumed normal operations, a senior port official told Reuters.

By late Friday morning, people in several areas began returning to their homes from shelters.

"We had tied our goats at home before we left for the shelter and returned to find that both they and our house were safe," one resident told a local television channel.