Bhubaneswar, Sep 21 (PTI) Heavy downpour lashed parts of Odisha on Monday due to a low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal, even as the weather office forecast more rainfall in the state over the next two days.

Keeping in view the weather forecast, the state government issued a fresh advisory to the District Collectors to remain prepared for any possible water-logging, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas.

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The low-pressure system, which formed on Sunday, now lies over north-west Bay of Bengal and adjoining north coastal Odisha.

It is likely to move west northwestward during the next 23 days, the Meteorological Centre here said.

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Under its influence, several parts of the state, including capital Bhubaneswar, were battered by heavy rainfall.

Several low-lying areas of the city faced water-logging following intermittent rainfall, disrupting traffic movement.

While Bhubaneswar recorded over 80 mm rainfall since morning, neighbouring Cuttack city reported more than 25 mm rainfall.

Districts such as Ganjam, Angul, Nayagarh, Sonepur and Sambalpur also experienced enhanced rainfall since Sunday.

The MeT Centre said rainfall activity will continue for the next two days, while heavy to very heavy downpour may hit some areas.

Squally weather coupled with the strong surface wind with speed reaching 45-55 kmph is likely to prevail over north Bay of Bengal and adjoining central Bay of Bengal.

Therefore, fishermen are advised not to venture into the sea along and off Odisha coast for next two days, it said.

Special Relief Commissioner P K Jena issued an advisory to district collectors, asking them to remain prepared to deal with any possible water-logging, flash flood and landslide in the hilly areas.

He said continuous vigil must be maintained on low-lying areas and steps for dewatering should be taken wherever required.

The Met centre issued a 'Red' warning for some areas of Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Bargarh, Jharsuguda and Balangir districts where heavy to very heavy rainfall and even extremely heavy downpour is likely to occur till Tuesday.

Heavy to very heavy rainfall is also likely to occur at one or two places over the districts of Kalahandi, Malkangiri, Koraput, Sonepur, Sambalpur, Sundargarh, Deogarh Keonjhar where an Orange warning was sounded till Tuesday.

As a result, localised flash floods, water-logging in low lying areas, landslides in hilly areas and damage to kutcha houses as also standing crops may take place, it said.

This is the seventh low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal since the beginning of August.

Five back-to-back low-pressure systems developed on August 4, 9, 13, 19 and 24 had triggered heavy to very heavy rainfall in many parts of the state and created flood situations in several areas of Odisha.

Similarly, a low-pressure area had formed over west- central Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh coast on September 13, triggering widespread rainfall.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)