A powerful cyclone struck India’s west coast Monday, forcing officials to move hospitalized coronavirus patients and suspend vaccination campaigns as the storm disrupted nationwide efforts to contain a surge of infections in the country of 1.3 billion. But by late Monday night, despite heavy physical damage in many seaside areas, no significant loss of life had been reported, and extensive advance measures had been put in place to protect hospitalized patients and oxygen supplies. Officials in Goa state confirmed two deaths, and there were unconfirmed reports of up to 10 additional related fatalities.

Cyclone Tauktae, named for the harmless gecko lizard, pummeled coastal stretches along hundreds of miles, with driving rains and winds up to 90 miles per hour. News footage from Mumbai, the seaside financial capital of 20 million, showed waves leaping over urban sea walls and makeshift tented vaccine centers blown away in the gusts. By late afternoon, the heavy weather had subsided as the storm moved north.

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Around 9 p.m., Tauktae made landfall in Gujarat state farther up the coast. Officials in Gujarat said they expected a late-night surge when the ocean tide peaked and that the cyclone was the most severe they had experienced since 1998.