New Delhi - Authorities in India's eastern state of West Bengal were grappling Tuesday with the trail of destruction left by cyclone Aila which claimed 24 lives, news reports said.

The cyclone battered coastal West Bengal and capital Kolkata Monday with high-speed winds uprooting trees, electricity poles and thatched homes.

Heavy rains caused house collapses and waterlogging.

Over 100,000 people were affected by the cyclone, IANS news agency reported.

West Bengal chief minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya was monitoring rescue and rehabilitation operations and was due to visit some of the worst-affected areas Tuesday.

Six people died in Kolkata, which has a population of over 7.78 million, and the rest in the adjoining districts. Most of them were killed by uprooted trees.

More than 80,000 homeless people across the state had been rescued and were being housed in temporary shelters, officials said.

Rail services were still erratic but air services to Kolkata airport had resumed.

The state capital woke to a sunny morning and the local weather office said the cyclone had weakened and no longer posed any danger.

There could be further showers as it had brought on an early monsoon, regional meteorological office director GC Debnath was quoted as saying by PTI news agency.

India's monsoon, or rainy season, usually begins in June and lasts to September.(dpa)