Monster Cyclone Slams India, Sends Half A Million People Fleeing [PHOTOS]

A massive and powerful cyclone slammed into India's east coast on Saturday, sending nearly half a million people seeking shelter.

Cyclone Phailin struck the eastern Indian states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh shortly after 9 p.m. local time, the Guardian reports.

Up to 12 million people could be displaced by the storm, which is packing winds of over 130 mph and expected to cause an 11-foot surge in sea levels, according to the India Meteorological Department.

"This is one of the largest evacuations undertaken in India," Shashidhar Reddy, the vice-chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority, told the Guardian.