Northwest India, Southeast Pakistan Prepare for Tropical Cyclone Vayu; Thousands Evacuated

Tropical Cyclone Vayu may skirt along the coast, but officials in northwest India are still urging residents to evacuate their homes and Pakistani officials have warned fishermen to stay on land this week.

Huge waves crashing onto shore have already splintered fishing boats in Veraval, a hub of India's fishing industry, according to the Associated Press.

Officials in India's Gujarat state, home to some 62 million people, worked with rescue crews to evacuate about 300,000 people from coastal areas most vulnerable to the storm's impacts, AP reported. This is being done with assistance from 50 National Disaster Response teams and about 1,000 Indian navy and army personnel that have been deployed to the region.

Sathi Devi, the government scientist in charge of monitoring the storm, said Vayu would come closest to land at midafternoon Thursday with winds over 90 mph.

Across the state, schools were canceled Wednesday and Thursday, and the port at the Gulf of Cambray was closed, BBC.com reported.

About 560 villages in Gujarat have lost power because of the cyclone, the Indian Express reported.

On Twitter, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "Praying for the safety and well-being of all those affected by Cyclone Vayu."

In neighboring Pakistan, the meteorological department said the cyclone could cause dust storms and rain in various parts of the southern Sindh province. It also warned that a heatwave with temperatures reaching 108 degrees Fahrenheit was likely to hit Karachi on Thursday and Friday because the cyclone could stifle sea breezes.