Cyclone pummels eastern Indian coast, kills 12

 
At least 12 people were killed after a cyclone pummeled India's southeastern coastline Friday, bringing high winds and rain, officials said.
Coastal districts in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and in the territory of Puducherry were on high alert as the cyclone approached.
The deaths were reported in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, where meteorologists reported winds gusting at between 75 and 87 miles per hour.
Amuthavalli, the top administrator for the district who goes by a single name, told CNN the fatalities were the result of wall collapses and electrocution. No major rescue operations were required and the death toll in the district is not now expected to rise greatly, she said.
Emergency crews are working to restore power supplies and clear roads of fallen trees and downed power lines, she added.
Meteorologists downgraded Cyclone Thane from "very severe" to "severe" after it made landfall Friday morning. By lunchtime, it had weakened further to a "deep depression" as it moved westward, they said.
Fishermen were advised to stay off rough seas throughout the day and coastal residents were told to evacuate to higher ground ahead of the storm's arrival.
Many people in largely agricultural and fishing communities along the coast live in thatched-roof huts that could sustain extensive damage, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said Friday morning.
It also warned of power and communication outages and damage to trees and crops.
Parts of coastal and inland Tamil Nadu and Puducherry can expect heavy rainfall over the next day, the IMD said. Heavy rain is also forecast for parts of Andhra Pradesh, as well as northern Kerala and southern Karnataka.