Cyclone hits East India

India’s worst storm in 14 years hit the east coast on Oct. 13, yet officials successfully evacuated over one million people and minimized the loss of life. Only 25 deaths were recorded due to Cyclone Phailin (compared to the 10,000 killed in 1999 during Cyclone Orissa). 

However, Phailin was severe enough to cause massive floods over five districts in Orissa State, damaging or destroying over 200,000 houses, driving thousands of people to evacuation centers and ruining an estimated 400,000 hectares of crops.