Heavy rain flooded Andaman, flights cancelled

Port Blair, Sept 12 (UNI) Heavy downpour since last evening has disrupted normal life in Andaman as 14 families were displaced in South Andaman and flights to Andaman were cancelled today.

According to Disaster Control Room, Port Blair, displaced families were later evacuated to safer places after water from Andaman's lone water reservoir Dhanikhari Dam flooded their houses.

When duty staff of the Dam saw increasing level of water this morning, they opened a water gate as precautionary measure, which flooded houses of nearby villages, Casper James, incharge of Disaster Control Room told UNI.

Administration has provided temporary shelter to all 44 members of the displaced families in a nearby government school, he said.

Heavy rain also caused land slide in Port Blair which completely damaged a portion of Andaman's Chinmaya mission.

However there was no report of any loss of life so far.

Meanwhile all four scheduled flights of Indian, Air Deccan and Jetlite for Port Blair from Kolkata and Chennai were cancelled today as some portion of Port Blair Airport's runway was inundated with rain water.

According to local Met office Andaman and Nicobar received 150 mm rainfall during last 24 hours.

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