Heavy rains wreak havoc in Andaman's Havelock islands, Navy launches rescue operation

Heavy rains lashed Havelock Island in Andamans on Wednesday leaving 800 tourists stranded.

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

The Navy has plunged into action and sent four ships to evacuate the tourists stranded in the Andamans. The tourists are to be ferried from the Havelock Islands to Port Blair.

As per Indian Navy officials INS Bitra, Bangaram, Kumbhir and LCU 38 have left for Havelock.

More than 800 tourists are stranded in Havelock Island; we are ready for evacuation, waiting for weather to clear: DK Sharma (Navy PRO) pic.twitter.com/mM8sRQKAaA

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 7, 2016

These rains can be attributed to the depression in the Bay of Bengal which is currently 260 km WNW of Car Nicobar Islands and 310 km SSW of Port Blair. The system is expected to intensify into a deep depression shortly and will also further concentrate into cyclonic storm Vardah.

Havelock around 40 km from the capital Port Blair is the largest in the chain of islands that form the Ritchie's Archipelago and belongs to the Andamans. It is a popular tourist destination known for its beaches