Cyclone Biparjoy burst into the region bordering India and Pakistan late on Thursday night wreaking havoc in its wake. 

The storm raced inland after eight days in the Arabian Sea at speeds topping 120 kilometers per hour, injuring dozens and uprooting electricity poles and trees in India's Gujarat state as both countries evacuated more than 180,000 people from coastal regions. It is expected to lose wind speed as it travels over land.

China's Long March-2D carrier rocket launched 41 new satellites into space on Thursday, breaking the national record for concurrently sending the most satellites in a single mission. 

The satellites will mainly provide commercial remote-sensing services and related technology verification. It was the 476th mission for the Long March rocket family.

Vietnam is battling electricity cuts caused by a severe heatwave that has limited power to half of its installed capacity. It has tried to move to renewable sources like solar energy, but is still largely dependent on coal and hydropower. 

The country has nearly 80 gigawatts of maximum installed power capacity, but the heatwave has cut output to less than half that. Lack of rain is being blamed. It has affected hydro-powered electricity, which is the second largest source, after coal. Water levels are too low for hydroelectric plants to run at more than 25 percent of their capability, according to the country's Industry Ministry.

At least nine people have been killed in the latest clashes between members of rival ethnic groups in India's northeastern state of Manipur, police said on Wednesday, as security forces continued to search for illegal weapons. 

Violence between the Kuki ethnic group, who mostly live in the hills, and Meiteis, the powerful community of the plains, broke out in May. Reuters reported that the "clashes were…sparked by resentment over economic benefits and quotas in government jobs and education reserved for hill people."

A powerful earthquake measuring 6.3 on the richter scale hit the Philippines on Thursday morning. Thousands fled buildings across the city and in nearby provinces. The United States Geological Service said the quake struck off the coast of Calatagan town, in Mindoro province, some 130 kilometers south of Manila, at a depth of 112 kilometers. 

Operations of the three elevated railway lines in Manila were stopped due to the earthquake, the Transport Ministry said. The Philippines' National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said there were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries.

(Cover: NASA's Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite shows the Biparjoy cyclone over the Arabian Sea a day before it was scheduled to make landfall. The cyclone's winds reached 129 kilometers per hour, making it a Category 1 storm. /CFP)