Bhubaneswar: The Regional Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar predicted heavy rainfall in several districts of Odisha in next 24 hours under the impact of the well-marked low pressure area over Bay of Bengal.

While issuing yellow warning (Be aware) for the districts of Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Nayagarh, Kandhamal, Khordha, Cuttack, Kendrapada, Jagatsinghpur, Gajapati, Ganjam, Rayagada, Puri, Koraput and Malkangiri, the meteorological centre today forecasted heavy rainfall in one or two places of these districts. 

The heavy rainfall is expected to cause damage to horticulture and standing crops including paddy, the centre warned.

It suggested farmers to keep the harvested produce in safer places or cover the produce with tarpaulin sheets in the fields. Provide adequate drainage facilities for the removal of excess water from standing crop. Provide mechanical support to horticultural crops and staking to vegetables, the centre added.

Dense fog is very likely to occur at one or two places over the district of Bargarh, Sundargarh, Jharsuguda, Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Bolangir, Sonepur. The forecast is valid up to 8:30 am of December 26.

The weathermen stated the well-marked low pressure area over Southwest and adjoining West-central Bay of Bengal off South Andhra Pradesh-North Tamil Nadu coasts moved northwestwards and lay over the same region at 8:30 am of today.

The meteorological centre added the well-marked area is likely to continue to move northwestwards and weaken gradually into a low pressure area over Westcentral & adjoining Southwest Bay of Bengal off South Andhra Pradesh-North Tamil Nadu coasts in next 24 hours.

The centre issued yellow Warning (Be aware) for the districts of Sonepur, Boudh, Nuapada, Bolangir, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, Koraput and Malkangiri and stated dense fog is very likely to occur at one or two places over these districts. The weather forecast is valid from 8:30 am on December 26 to 8:30 am on December 27.

In the last 24 hours, heavy Rainfall occurred at Khordha and Kalahandi districts. Light to moderate rainfall occurred at many places over rest of Odisha. Highest quantity of rainfall was recorded at Tangi and Koksara at 7 cms. Shallow fog occurred at one or two places over the districts of Keonjhar and Jharsuguda.

The weathermen added dry weather is very likely to prevail over the districts of Odisha from December 27.