BHUBANESHWAR: The Odisha government on Saturday sounded an alert for the southern and coastal districts of the state following IMD forecast that these areas will experience heavy rain for three days starting Sunday. Twenty people have died so far in flash floods in the state this season.

An IMD-Bhubaneswar bulletin said a cyclonic circulation over the northwest Bay of Bengal was likely to intensify into a low pressure area in the following 24 hours. Under its influence, heavy rain is likely to occur in many districts - Gajapati, Ganjam, Puri, Khurda, Nayagarh, Balasore, Cuttack, Rayagada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Balangir - in the next 48 hours.

"Rainfall will increase in these districts while the spell will be widespread in almost all parts of Odisha in the following 48 hours. The intensity of rain will reduce from Tuesday," said HR Biswas, director of IMD's regional centre in Bhubaneswar.

The IMD has advised fishermen against venturing into deep sea in north-west and west-central Bay of Bengal as the waters are expected to remain choppy.

Special relief commissioner Bishnupada Sethi said the Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force was in a state of readiness while district administrations had been alerted.

