Cyclone Tauktae leaves trail of destruction in India

A powerful cyclone has left a trail of destruction along the northwestern coast of India.

Packing winds of 130 miles per hour, cyclone Tauktae made landfall late on Monday (May 17) uprooting trees and electricity lines.

Authorities are now concerned about the steady supply of oxygen to hospitals overwhelmed by COVID-19.

The storm has hampered India's fight against the disease.

Ahead of Taukae's arrival, hundreds of thousands of people had to be evacuated from coastal areas in the state of Gujarat.

Vaccinations were suspended for two days, while hospitals awaited back-up generators to keep power running.

The cyclone weakened after it made landfall but at least a dozen people have already died in the storm.

The Indian navy said it had rescued 146 people from one of two barges that were adrift near the Mumbai coastline.

In Gujarat, no damages have been reported at the refineries and sea ports that were expected to be in the storm's path.

The country's biggest private port was able to open on Tuesday (May 18).

The cyclone was the most powerful one to hit India in more than two decades.