CHENNAI, India, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Cyclone Thane, packing wind gusts up to 87 mph and heavy rains, struck the southeastern coast of India Friday, killing at least 33 people, officials said.
The cyclone hit north coastal Tamil Nadu and the neighboring Union Territory of Puducherry between 6:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m., the Hindustan Times reported.
Cuddalore, where 21 people were killed, was hardest hit, while seven others died in Puducherry. Two people also died in Villupuram, two in Tiruvallur and one in Chennai.
"There could be some more deaths," said Marri Shashidhar Reddy, vice chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority.
The authority sent eight teams to affected areas.
Thane crossed the coast between Cuddalore and Puducherry, bringing torrential rains and gale winds that uprooted hundreds of trees and took down utility poles, disrupting power, The Times of India said.
The cyclone also disrupted air and rail service.
