Cyclone Asani: Parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands witness rain, strong winds

Normal life in parts of Andaman and Nicobar Islands was affected on Sunday due to rain and strong winds because of Cyclone Asani, officials said. Inter-island shipping services have been stopped and fishermen warned not to venture into the sea as the year's first cyclonic storm nears the archipelago, they said.

Around 100 personnel of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed and six relief camps opened in various parts of the islands as a precautionary measure, the officials said.

North and Middle Andamans experienced rain and strong winds but life in Port Blair remained normal, they said.

"Yesterday's Well marked Low pressure area intensified into a depression over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea at 0530 IST of today the 20th March 2022. To intensify further into a Deep Depression during next 24 hours," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said in a Twitter post on Sunday.

The system is expected to move towards the Bangladesh-Myanmar coasts.

Also read: Cyclone Asani to form over Bay of Bengal; IMD issues warning to fishermen