Strong winds and heavy rain batter Puri city as Cyclone Fani hits eastern Indian coast

Cyclone Fani has made landfall on the coast of the eastern state of Odisha in India earlier today (May 3).

Footage shows high winds battering tree palms and homes in the coastal city of Puri, home to about 200,000 people.

A motorcyclist can be seen struggling to move along a bridge as gale force winds batter the area.

Government workers cutting the branches of a downed tree blocking a road further in the video.

At least one million people have been evacuated and 5,000 shelters have been set up in Odisha state.

Fani is the most severe storm to hit Odisha since 1999 when a cyclone killed more than 10,000 people.