A low pressure area is most likely to form over south Andaman Sea in the next 12 hours. It is likely to move west-northwestwards and concentrate into a depression over Southeast and adjoining East Central Bay of Bengal during the subsequent 48 hours, informed the Regional Meteorological Centre in Bhubaneswar.
In view of expected rainfall under the influence of the low pressure, the Odisha University of Agriculture & Technology (OUAT) on Monday issued an advisory to farmers. In order to prevent the paddy stock from getting wet or washed away, the farmers have been advised to harvest 85% ripe paddy before the rainfall begins and also perform threshing and cleaning works to dislodge the grains.
In case this preventive exercise is not complete, then the farmers should cover the left out paddy with plastic polythene. Further, the farmers have been asked to dig passageways to channel rainwater out of the farmlands.
Post rainfall, there is a possibility of pest attacks. So in order to prevent pest attack threat, farmers must suspend Rabi crop farming for the time being, the advisory mentioned.