Bhubaneswar, Aug 19 (IANS): The Odisha government on Wednesday asked the district collectors to remain prepared for any water-logging and flood-like situation in view of the heavy to very heavy rainfall predictions.

Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Kumar Jena asked the districts under red, orange and yellow warnings to remain prepared to meet any water-logging, localised flood-like situation in the urban area and landslides due to flash floods in the hilly areas.

While a low pressure area formed over the north Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood on Wednesday morning, a fresh low pressure area is likely to develop around August 23, said the SRC.

In view of this, Jena said the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) and state fire services personnel may be kept on alert.

The state has been witnessing heavy rainfall due to the low-pressure area over the Bay of Bengal.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a red warning saying that heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall is likely to occur over Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Boudh, Jagatsingpur, Cuttack and Angul.

Orange warning has been issued for Keonjhar, Sambalpur, Deogarh, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Puri, Khurda, and Koraput.

Fishermen have been advised not to venture into sea along and off the Odisha coast during the next 48 hours.