India evacuates hundreds of thousands of people and shuts schools as a tropical storm nears

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian authorities have shut 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 up to 68 mph and is expected to intensify before pushing toward the eastern coastline, where it is set to make landfall late Thursday and early Friday, according to India’s Meteorological Department. The storm is expected to affect parts of Odisha state, while strong winds and rains have also begun lashing parts of neighboring West Bengal state.