Rains lash Port Blair, air services ruptured

Port Blair (Andaman Islands), May.10 : Torrential rains cut off air services from Port Blair airport on Saturday, stranding passengers and virtually snapping travel links between the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the mainland.

The airport and the terminal building were submerged under over 1.5 feet of water, preventing flights from landing and taking off.

Almost 207 mm of rainfall was recorded. The weather office said that it has been raining since late Friday night.

Three flights on Saturday morning from Kolkata of Air India, Air Deccan and Jet Airways could not land and returned to eastern metropolis.

An Air Deccan and Air India flight from here to Chennai also could not take off, the sources added.

Airport Controller R De Cruz that the water is receding and that the passengers were being given accommodation in hotels or in rest rooms within the airport complex.

ANI