The Centre has sounded an "Orange" alert for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is facing a cyclonic storm, officials said Sunday.

An "Orange" warning had been issued for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, a home ministry official said, quoting from a weather bulletin.

An "orange" weather warning means people should "be prepared" and there is an increased likelihood of bad or extreme weather, which may disrupt road and air travel and threaten life and property.

"Pabuk" is now over the Andaman sea and its neighbourhood and it has moved north-northwestwards at a speed of 20 kmph in the last six hours.

It lays centred near latitude 11.0 North and longitude 95.5 East, about 310 km east-southeast of Port Blair, the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The cyclonic storm is very likely to continue to move north-northwestwards and cross the Andaman islands by Sunday night with a wind speed of 65-75 kmph, gusting to 85 kmph, the official said.

Thereafter, it is very likely to move north-northwestwards and then recurve north-eastwards, towards the Myanmar coast, and weaken gradually thereafter, he added, quoting from the bulletin.

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