Gopalpur, Oct 13 (ANI): India's strongest storm in 14 years left a trail of destruction along the country's east coast on Sunday, but little loss of life was reported after close to a million people took refuge in shelters. Cyclone Phailin was expected to dissipate within 36 hours, losing momentum as it headed inland after making landfall on Saturday from the Bay of Bengal, bringing winds of more than 200 kph (125 mph) to rip up homes and tear down trees. Authorities in Odisha said that the death toll stood at seven persons who died as winds whipped the coast before the storm slammed in. The storm snapped trees and electricity poles and smashed windows in several towns and villages of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. In some areas cars were crushed under the weight of uprooted trees and even large trucks had overturned. In Gopalpur region of Odisha, shopkeepers and residents recalled the horrors of last night when winds over 200 kilometres per hour, battered their town.
