Port Blair, Mar 21 (IANS): The Andaman and Nicobar Islands and adjoining sea areas continued to be on pre-cyclone watch with heavy rainfall at some places on Monday on account of the deep depression that will turn into Cyclone Asani.
"Long Islands and Nancowry each received 1 cm of rainfall during the day from 8.30 a.m. till 5.30 p.m. while rainfall and thundershowers were witnessed at many other places in Andaman and Nicobar Islands even as the administration kept people safe at about 90+ relief shelters for affected population and kept a medical team on stand-by.
"The deep depression over north Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards with a speed of 13 kmph in the morning and at 5.30 p.m. lay centred about 120 km east-northeast of Mayabundar (Andaman Islands), 230 km north-northeast of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 450 km south-southwest of Yangon (Myanmar)," the India Meteorological Department (IMD) bulletin said.
"It is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm during late evening hours and would continue to move nearly northwards along and off Andaman Islands towards Myanmar coast during next 48 hours and cross Myanmar coast in the early hours of March 23," the IMD said.
The bulletin predicted light to moderate rainfall/thundershower at most places with heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places very likely over north Andaman Islands and heavy rainfall at isolated places over South Andaman Islands with light to moderate rainfall at a few places likely over Nicobar Islands.
Sea conditions that are very rough on Monday evening are likely to turn high over north Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast and east-central Bay of Bengal and on Tuesday, very likely to become very rough to high over east-central Bay of Bengal and north Andaman Sea and along and off Myanmar coast.
It would be rough to very rough over adjoining southeast and northeast Bay of Bengal and along and off south-east Bangladesh coast during the same period, the IMD said and warned fishermen not to venture into Andaman Sea and along and off Andaman and Nicobar Islands during till March 22.