BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Monday put several districts on alert as the weather office predicted that a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal may trigger heavy rainfall across the state, officials said.
The district collectors were asked to monitor the emerging situation closely, they said.
A low-pressure area was formed over northwest and adjoining the westcentral Bay of Bengal off the south Odisha coast.
It is likely to move west-northwestward during the next two-three days, the weather office said.
Rains have already started in most parts of the state, including Bhubaneswar.
"We hope that this low pressure will help to overcome the prevailing dry spell in 27 of the state's 30 districts," a senior officer of the Agriculture Department said.
In the last 24 hours, 29 districts have received some amount of rainfall.
Jagatsinghpur district received the most amount of rainfall at 42.9 mm, followed by Koraput (36.2 mm), Gajapati (34.9 mm), Cuttack (29. mm), Malkangiri (26.1 mm), Bhadrak (26 mm) and Puri (25 mm).
Boudh was the only district where no rainfall was recorded in the last 24 hours.
Under the influence of the low-pressure area, heavy rainfall coupled with thunderstorms and lightning are very likely in most of the districts till September 8, the weather officer predicted.
Alert for heavy rains was issued for Gajapati, Ganjam, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Korapur and Puri.
Similarly, heavy rainfall is very likely in Malkangiri, Rayagada, Khurda, Cuttack, Jagatsinghpur, Mayurbhanj and Nabarangpur.
Fisherfolks were asked not to venture into the sea on Monday and Tuesday.