India's strongest storm since 2014 now weakening, says weather office

[NEW DELHI] Cyclone Fani, the strongest storm to hit India since 2014, is weakening after barrelling into the eastern coastal state of Odisha, the chief of the weather office said on Friday.

Heavy rains, along with strong winds, will continue throughout Friday in Odisha, where more a million people have been evacuated, KJ Ramesh, Director General of the state-run India Meteorological Department, told reporters.

"After making landfall this morning, cyclone Fani has started weakening and it's likely to enter Bangladesh by tomorrow evening," he said.

"No cyclone ever had such a long duration in April."

REUTERS