BHUBANESHWAR, India - Schools in some parts of India's eastern state of Odisha were ordered to shut and tourists asked to vacate the popular beach city of Puri, as authorities braced for a severe cyclonic storm that is expected to hit later this week.

       Cyclone Dana, currently over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm with wind speeds gusting up to 120 kph (74 mph), and is likely to make landfall late on Thursday, the weather office said.

       Schools in 14 districts will be closed from Wednesday to Friday, and fishermen have been asked not to venture into the sea, a senior official from the Special Relief Commissioner's office, which oversees disaster management, told Reuters.

       Tourists and pilgrims who frequent the coastal city of Puri, home to the famous Jagannath temple, have been asked to leave, officials said, while rescue teams were on standby.

       Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in Odisha was likely in the next three days, the weather office said, and the ensuing storm could damage houses, roads, crops, and power lines, causing flooding and landslides.

       Odisha is prone to cyclones, but has improved disaster preparedness over time, reducing damage and casualties. REUTERS