Strong winds and heavy rains in India’s eastern coastline today, people living nearby costal area getting warring and help by authorities to leave the place due to cyclone expected to reach land in a few hours.

The skies were dark — almost black — at midmorning in Bhubaneshwar, the capital of Orissa state and about 60 miles from the coast. Roaring winds made palm trees sway wildly, and to the south, seawater was pushing inland.

Satellite images showed the cyclone filling nearly the entire Bay of Bengal, an area larger than France.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik appealed to people not to be panic. He said the government is ‘alive to the situation’ and have initiated all possible measures for safety of people.

The sea had already pushed inland as much as 130 feet in parts of Andhra Pradesh. The Indian air force said four transport planes and 18 helicopters were being kept ready for relief operations in the region.