India is evacuating hundreds of thousands of people and closing schools as a tropical storm approaches

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian authorities have closed schools, evacuated hundreds of thousands of people and canceled trains in parts of the country as a tropical storm strengthens in the Bay of Bengal. Tropical Storm Dana has sustained winds of up to 68 mph and is expected to intensify before pushing toward the East Coast, where it is expected to make landfall Thursday night and early Friday, according to the Department of Meteorology of India. The storm is expected to affect parts of Odisha state, while strong winds and rains have also started lashing parts of neighboring West Bengal state.