“There is a deep depression (in the sea) about 310 kms from Port Blair. That is why the Navy was contacted as we don’t want to take any chances,” an official from Directorate of Disaster Management, told IANS.
The official said that because of heavy rain and winds, the difficulty tourists are facing is to reach the jetty to board the ships. The tourists are to be ferried from the Havelock Islands to Port Blair.
“We can’t say as of now that the depression will turn into a cyclone,” he said.
They expect the evacuation to be completed by the evening, he said.
Navy ships NS Bitra, Bangaram, Kumbhir and LCU 38 have left for Havelock, say officials.
A popular tourist destination known for its beaches, Havelock is the largest in the chain of islands that form the Ritchie’s Archipelago and belongs to the Andamans.
(Sourced from agencies, feature image courtesy:newsr.in)
