Cyclone Asani: Heavy rains lash Andaman and Nicobar Islands, fishing suspended

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday said that heavy rainfall and strong winds lashed Andaman and Nicobar Islands in the last 24 hours as a deep depression intensified over the north Andaman sea.

According to the weather department, the deep depression is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm – named ‘Cyclone Asani’ – and make landfall near the port city of Thandwe in Myanmar.

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On Monday at 9 pm, the IMD predicted that the cyclonic storm would develop over the north Andaman sea in the next 12 hours.

“It would continue to move nearly northwards away from the Andaman Islands and cross Myanmar coast between latitude 18 Degree North & 19 Degree North around Thandwe (Myanmar) during early hours of March 23,” it warned.

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In view of the cyclonic storm, people living in the low-lying and flood-prone regions of Andamans were evacuated and housed in temporary shelters by the local administration.

Inter-island ferry and shipping services with Chennai and Visakhapatnam were stopped, while all educational institutions were closed as well.

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As many as 150 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed and six relief camps opened in various parts of the islands.

Control Rooms have also been opened in all three districts of the union territory.

The sea condition is likely to be very rough and the weather office has advised suspension of all tourism and fishing activities for the next two days.