800 Tourists Stranded In Havelock Island In Andamans After Heavy Rain, Navy To The Rescue

The Navy has sent four ships to help evacuate 800 tourists stranded at Havelock Islands in the Andamans because of heavy rain.

After the rain left hundreds of tourists stranded, the administration called the Navy early Wednesday morning.

The sudden evacuation mission was initiated at the request of the Andaman and Nicobar disaster management, which speculates that a "cyclonic storm" might struck Havelock, an island about 40 km from the state capital Port Blair.

"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.