Andaman and Nicobar Islands is gearing up for this year’s first cyclonic storm. The low-pressure system brewing in South East Bay of Bengal and the adjoining Andaman Sea intensified into a depression on Sunday and is expected to intensify into a cyclonic storm, which will be called ‘Asani’, on March 21.
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration is making necessary arrangements and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has also swung into action with pre-emptive measures to face the impact of Cyclone Asani when it makes landfall.
Officials said that normal life in parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands was affected on Sunday due to rain and strong winds because of Cyclone Asani.
Cylone Asani | Top Developments
- Depression to intensify further into ‘deep depression’
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in its latest tweet said that the well marked low pressure area of March 19 has intensified into a depression over South East Bay of Bengal and adjoining South Andaman Sea on Sunday morning, adding that it is expected to intensify further into a deep depression over the next 24 hours.
The IMD had on Saturday said that the The Well Marked Low Pressure Area over South East Bay of Bengal & adjoining south is likely to intensify into a cyclonic storm on March 21.
- Rainfall Warning
IMD said that most places of Andaman and Nicobar Islands will receive light to moderate rainfall/thundershower with heavy to very heavy and isolated extremely heavy rainfall rainfall at a few places on March 20.
On March 21, light to moderate rainfall/thundershower at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall are very likely over Andaman Islands, the IMD said, adding that light to moderate rainfall at a few places is likely over Nicobar Islands.
- Fishermen Warning
The weather department advised fishermen not to venture into South East Bay of Bengal between March 19 and 21.
Fishermen have also been asked to not venture into Andaman Sea and along and off Andaman and Nicobar during during the same period.
The IMD also advised fishermen to stay off East Central Bay of Bengal between March 21 and 22 and into North East Bay of Bengal on March 22.
- Indian Coast Guard on alert
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is taking pre-emptive measures as the cyclonic storm is approaching the coasts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
ICG ships and aircraft in the South East Bay of Bengal and the adjoining South Andaman Sea have relayed weather warnings to all mariners and fishermen at sea.
- Tourism activities suspended
Andaman and Nicobar Islands Chief Secretary Jitendra Narain said that tourism activities have been suspended from March 19 to March 22, in view of the weather warnings.
“In the wake of IMD warning about cyclonic weather, tourism activities in the A&N Islands shall remain suspended from 19th March to 22nd March, 2022,” the minister had said in a tweet on Friday.
In the wake of IMD warning about cyclonic weather, tourism activities in the A&N Islands shall remain suspended from 19th March to 22nd March, 2022.@MediaRN_ANI @Andaman_Admin pic.twitter.com/54MVYOxxPW
— Jitendra.narain (@jitendra_narain) March 19, 2022
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