Cyclone Asani bypasses Andamans, likely to make landfall near Thandwe in Myanmar

Cyclone Asani on Monday skirted the Andaman Islands and was headed for a landfall near the port city of Thandwe in Myanmar, the India Meteorological Department said.

Gale winds will pick up and remain in the range 65 to 75 kms/hr, gusting to 85 kms/hr close to the Andaman and Nicobar islands, east-central Bay of Bengal and the north Andaman Sea till Wednesday, weather scientists said.

Sea conditions will continue to remain rough on Tuesday.

The weather system, which had developed as a low pressure area last week, intensified into a deep depression on Monday, prompting the weather office to sound a pre-cyclone watch for the Andaman Islands.

Heavy rain coupled with strong winds pounded Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Monday and people living in low-lying and flood-prone areas were evacuated and housed in temporary relief camps.

Also Watch| Cyclone Asani to move off Andaman Islands towards Myanmar: Met Dept