Cyclone Biparjoy: Heavy rains lash India and Pakistan coast ahead of cyclone

Tens of thousands of people in India and Pakistan have been moved to safer places as a severe cyclone is expected to make landfall on Thursday evening.

Cyclone Biparjoy - which means "disaster" in Bengali - has been making its way across the Arabian Sea and is expected to first hit India's Gujarat state.

Forecasters have warned the storm could destroy homes and crops. Several parts of Gujarat and its neighbouring states witnessed heavy rains, high tides and strong winds on Wednesday.

In Pakistan, the storm is expected to strike the coast of Sindh province.