34 people die in Thane cyclone: Officials

Saturday, December 31, 2011: At least 34 people died when cyclone Thane hit southern India, officials said on Saturday as engineers rushed to restore power supplies knocked out by winds of up to 140 kilometres (85 miles) an hour.
Cyclone Thane lashed the coast between Cuddalore in Tamil Nadu state and the territory of Pondicherry on Friday, leaving in its wake a trail of destruction, officials from the affected regions said.
“The death toll has now reached 22 in Cuddalore,” district administrator V Amuthavalli said, adding that the toll is likely to rise.
“Approximately 50,000 (thatched) huts are damaged by the high winds but we will get a clearer picture of the damage later today,” the official said and added that people also reported to hospitals with injuries.
Most of the deaths occurred due to electrocution and walls collapsing in the coastal district. Five others died elsewhere in Tamil Nadu, other officials said in state capital Chennai.

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