The Odisha government on Monday asked farmers to shift their harvested paddy from their fields to other safe places to avoid damage, a day after the India Meteorological Department warned of heavy rainfall in parts of the state, PTI reported.

The Revenue and Disaster Management department advised farmers to stack the paddy under suitable cover, or harvest the crops if they are ready.

On Sunday, IMD had said that heavy rain is likely to hit parts of Odisha for three days starting from December 7, after a low-pressure system formed over the south Andaman sea. The system is expected to become a depression and move towards north Tamil Nadu and the Andhra Pradesh coast.

At least 18 districts of Odisha are likely to have heavy rainfall, including Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinhpur and Cuttack, Sarat Chandra Sahu, director of regional meteorological centre, said, according to The Telegraph. Low intensity rainfall is likely to occur in districts like Koraput, Gajapati, Ganjam and Malkangiri, he added.