India surpasses 25 million COVID-19 cases as powerful cyclone slows response effort

A cyclone pummeled India on the nation’s deadliest day of the pandemic Monday as the country surpassed a grave milestone of more than 25 million COVID-19 cases.

A cyclone pummeled India on Monday, the nation's deadliest day of the pandemic, as the country also surpassed a grave milestone: 25 million COVID-19 cases. India, now the global epicenter of the pandemic, is seeing this second wave of infection only worsen as response efforts have been made more difficult by Tropical Cyclone Tauktae, which made landfall in Gujarat on Monday night. The storm was the strongest to hit the region in more than two decades, with sustained winds of 103 mph, the India Meteorological Department said, hitting the states of Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra the hardest. India recorded at least 20 dead and 125 missing at sea following the cyclone's arrival, which knocked out electricity in Goa. Over 150,000 people had already been evacuated ahead of the storm, and 177 navy personnel were rescued, according to the Indian Navy.