Severe storm set to hit eastern India and Bangladesh

Authorities cancelled trains, warned fishermen not to venture out to sea and prepared to evacuate people in vulnerable locations on Wednesday, a day before a severe cyclonic storm was set to barrel into the eastern coast of India and Bangladesh.

Cyclone Dana, currently over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds gusting up to 120 kph (74 mph), and is likely to make landfall late on Thursday, hitting the eastern coast of India and the southern coast of Bangladesh, India's weather office said. 

More than 200 trains were cancelled in India's Odisha, a state prone to cyclones, and officials said preparations were being made to evacuate people who live in vulnerable areas.

"We are making announcements and will begin evacuations after lunch hours," Dilip Routrai, an administrative officer in one of the districts likely to be affected, told Reuters.

Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall is expected in Odisha over the next three days, the weather office warned, adding that the storm could damage homes, roads, crops, and power lines, leading to flooding and landslides.

Schools in the state are closed until Friday and fishermen have been advised not to venture out to sea.

In neighbouring Bangladesh, the weather department issued a warning to fishermen and asked ports along its southern coastline to stay alert.

India's West Bengal state, which shares a border with Bangladesh, has posted disaster relief teams equipped with tree cutting machinery and restoration equipment, officials said.