Port Blair, Mar 21 : The Deep Depression over the North Andaman Sea, which is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm ‘Asani’ during the late evening hours on Monday (today) has almost crossed Andaman and Nicobar Islands, without causing any major damage. The Andaman and Nicobar Administration was however on high alert and made elaborate arrangements to deal with any kind of eventuality as initial input of India Meteorological Department (IMD) had suggested that the cyclone is about to his Andamans on 21st March 2022. According to the latest IMD release, The Deep Depression over the north Andaman Sea and adjoining southeast Bay of Bengal moved nearly northwards with a speed of 13 kmph during last 6 hours and lay centred at 1130 hours IST on Monday, over the same region, near latitude 12.6°N and longitude 93.9°E, about 110 km east-southeast of Mayabundar (Andaman Islands), 170 km northeast of Port Blair (Andaman Islands), 530 km south-southwest of Yangon (Myanmar) and 650 km south of Thandwe (Myanmar). “It is likely to intensify further into a cyclonic storm during evening hours. It would continue to move nearly northwards along & off Andaman Islands towards Myanmar coast during next 48 hrs and cross Myanmar coast between latitude 180N & 190N around Thandwe (Myanmar) during early hours of March 23,” the release added. Meanwhile, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration has not lowered the guards yet and advised fishermen not to venture into sea on 21st and 22nd March 2022. Local cautionary signal III has been kept hoisted at Port Blair port. As a precautionary measure, the Andaman and Nicobar Administration had closed all schools and colleges from 19 and 21 March 2022. Meanwhile, earlier the Chief Secretary, Jitendra Narain took a high-level meeting and emphasized that the safety, security, protection and wellbeing of the tribes is paramount to the Administration. As part of the disaster preparedness, the Directorate of Tribal Welfare constituted teams of field functionaries of Andaman Adim Janjati Vikas Samiti (AAJVS) for all Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) settlements. The team visited all camps and sensitized the tribes about the impact of cyclones and preparedness. The tribal population living near the coast have been shifted to interior and safe places by the team. Onge tribe has been shifted to School and Comm ty Hall at Dugong Creek. The Jarawa tribe living in Lewaital, Badabalu has been shifted to the Middle Strait. As part of proactive measures, sufficient ration articles have been distributed among all tribes by the AAJVS. The Director (Tribal Welfare)/Executive Secretary, AAJVS visited the Jarawa camps to ensure prompt preparedness of the disaster plan for the safety of PVTGs. The Director also interacted with Jarawa tribes and held a comm ty awareness campaign on how to deal with the cyclonic situation. SKR RN
