Winds and Rain Hit Andaman and Nicobar Islands as Cyclone Vardah Strengthens

The Indian Meteorological Department said on December 8 that the cyclonic storm Vardah was “very likely to intensify” into a “severe cyclonic storm” as it moved north. The cyclone was over the southeast Bay of Bengal on December 8, it said.

Port Blair, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, received extremely heavy rainfall during December 7, with the Indian Navy reporting “strong winds and very rough seas.” Flooding was reported in low-lying areas.

Local reports said that four navy ships had evacuated about 800 tourists from Havelock Island, off South Andaman. Credit: YouTube/Shahbaz Khan via Storyful