Andaman: 800 tourists stranded in Havelock Island due to heavy rain, Indian Navy dispatches evacuation ships

The Indian Navy on Wednesday deployed four evacuation ships to rescue at least 800 tourists stranded at Havelock Island in the Andaman due to heavy rains.

The administration asked for navy's assistance early Wednesday morning after tumultuous rains in the region left hundreds of tourists stranded. According to officials, navy ships NS Bitra, Bangaram, Kumbhir and LCU 38 have left for Havelock for the rescue operation.

The Andaman and Nicobar disaster management requested the evacuation after they speculated that a "cyclonic storm" may have struck Havelock, which is situated around 40 kms away from the state capital of Port Blair. A disaster management official said that they asked for immediate evacuation because they did not want to take any chances with the lives of the tourists in the state.

"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. We can't say as of now that the depression will turn into a cyclone," a Directorate of Disaster Management official told IANS.

Reports state that the tourists in the island are facing difficulties to reach the jetty to board the ships for their departure. The tourists stranded there are to be taken through ferries from Havelock Island to the capital.

The official said that the evacuation of the tourists is expected to finish by Wednesday evening.

Havelock Island is very popular among tourists and is the largest of the islands that comprise Ritchie's Archipelago, a chain of islands to the east of Great Andaman in the Andaman Islands. It belongs to the South Andaman administrative district, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.