BHUBANESWAR: With heavy rainfall warning issued by the India Meteorological Department or IMD in many parts of Odisha, the state government today asked farmers to shift their harvested paddy from the fields to safe places to avoid loss or damage.
Rain is likely to lash Odisha for at least three days from December 7 due to a well marked low pressure that lies over southeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining south Andaman Sea today, the weather centre in Bhubaneswar said.
It is very likely to become a depression over southeast Bay of Bengal during next 24 hours and further intensify into a deep depression during subsequent 48 hours.
It is likely to move west-northwestwards towards north TamilNadu – south Andhra Pradesh coasts next three days, it said.
While weather is expected to remain dry over Odisha during next 72 hours, rainfall is likely to occur in several parts of of the state by December 7 under its impact, said director of the local Met Centre, Sarat Chandra Sahu.
Low intensity rainfall is likely to occur in districts like Koraput, Malkangiri, Gajapati and Ganjam on December 7, while rainall of higher intensity is expected to pound coastal and adjoining districts on December 8 and 9, he said.
Preliminary reports indicate that around 18 districts of the state are likely to face heavy rainfall due to the system, the MeT office said.
In view of the emerging weather conditions, the Revenue and Disaster Management department has advised the farmers of the districts likely to be affected to shift their harvested paddy to safe places and keep it properly stacked under suitable cover so as to avoid any loss or damage.
Where paddy crops are ready for harvest, the farmers should take steps to harvest the same and store safely to avoid damage due to rains, a senior official said adding necessary measures should also be taken to protect the paddy in mandies, if any, from rain.
Farmers in most parts of the state have already suffered a lot due to crop loss caused by unseasonal rains last month.
PTI