Andaman and Nicobar Islands brace for Cyclone Asani, IMD predicts heavy rainfall for today

New Delhi: With Cyclone Asani likely to approach the shores of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the Centre on Saturday deployed six teams of the National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) to the Union Territory. 

According to the weather forecast by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal will become well-marked by March 20 morning and turn into a cyclonic storm on March 21. It will then move along and off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and reach the Bangladesh-north Myanmar coasts on March 22.

"LPA over central parts of south Bay of Bengal become WML on March 19 along and off the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, intensify into a depression by the morning of March 20 and into a cyclonic storm on March 21. To move nearly north-northeastwards and reach near Bangladesh-north Myanmar coasts on March 22," the national weather forecasting agency tweeted on March 17.

In view of the forecast, the Islands Administration has activated emergency control rooms. 

Heavy rainfall expected today

The weather department said that isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over the Andaman Islands and isolated heavy rainfall over the Nicobar Islands on Sunday.

“On Sunday, light to moderate rainfall/thundershower at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall are very likely over Andaman Islands and isolated heavy rainfall over Nicobar Islands while on Monday, light to moderate rainfall/thundershower at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall likely at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall is very likely over Andaman Islands. Light to moderate rainfall at a few places is likely over Nicobar Islands,” the IMD said.

Preparations afoot

The local administration also initiated sensitisation programmes for vulnerable fishermen colonies against the danger due to Cyclone Asani and evacuated them to safer places, as per the Deputy Commissioner, North & Middle Andaman.

Unsafe and loose structures were also removed to prevent any hazard owing to randomly flying sharp objects such as tin sheets.

Coast Gaurd warns mariners, fishermen

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ships and aircraft on the southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south of the Andaman Sea are relaying weather warnings to all mariners and fishermen at sea. On Saturday, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands Administration issued an advisory for fishermen appealing to them not to venture into the sea during the period of the cyclone from March 19-22.

"Fishermen are strongly advised not to venture into the sea during the period of Cyclone Asani," the Andaman and Nicobar Administration had tweeted on Saturday morning.

Rough sea conditions

Sea condition was rough to very rough over Andaman Sea and adjoining the southeast Bay of Bengal on Saturday and it would become very rough over the same region on Sunday while it would be very rough to high over Andaman Sea, southeast and adjoining east-central Bay of Bengal on March 21.

(With agency inputs)

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