Cyclone Thane death toll at 46 in India

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CHENNAI, India, Jan. 1 (UPI) -- Cyclone Thane claimed at least 46 lives in southeastern India, officials said Saturday as people in the region started to clean up after the storm.

Of the total, 35 of the deaths from the Friday storm that packed nearly 90 mph winds and heavy rains were in Tamil Nadu state. The latest deaths reported were nine people killed in the state's Cuddalore, Kanchipuram and Theni districts, the Times of India reported.

"Major roads are being cleared of uprooted trees and traffic has resumed," Cuddalore Deputy Superintendent of Police S. Vanitha told the Indo-Asian News Service. "People are returning to their homes or going to the homes of their relatives from relief camps. Life is coming back to normalcy."

However, electrical power was still out and potable water had to be trucked in to some areas.