Monsoon rains hit India's Andaman Islands early

The Southwest monsoon reached the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on Sunday, six days ahead of its regular schedule, the domestic weather office said in a statement.

Andaman and Nicobar, off India’s eastern coast, are usually the first areas to receive the monsoon rains, typically around May 20.

“Conditions are favorable for further advance of southwest monsoon into some parts of southwest Bay of Bengal, some more parts of southeast Bay of Bengal, remaining parts of Andaman Sea, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and some parts of east-central Bay of Bengal during the next 72 hours,” the India Meteorological Department said.