Phyan heads for northwest India
Phyan heads for northwest India
The northwestern states of Maharashtra and Gujarat were preparing on Wednesday for the arrival of Cyclonic Storm Phyan, which was moving inland to the south of Mumbai.
Winds of 50-55mph (80-90km/h) were expected along the coast, together with rainfall totals exceeding 250mm (10in) in some places.
Schools and offices in Mumbai closed early, and officials urged people in low-lying coastal areas to seek shelter from an expected one-metre storm surge.
Fishermen were warned to stay ashore, as it emerged that around 400 men on 60 fishing vessels were believed to be stranded in the Arabian Sea off Gujarat's coast. The boats were thought to have been put to sea earlier in the week, prior to the issue of cyclone warnings.
The North Indian Ocean does not have a strict cyclone season, but most storms tend to form between April and December with peaks in activity during May and November.
