Bhubaneswar, July 20 - More rains were predicted in Orissa Monday where flash floods triggered by continuous heavy rains for a week have caused the deaths of at least 36 people and displaced thousands.

The state government has alerted all the district collectors to remain prepared to meet the challenges and advised fishermen not to venture into the sea as conditions will be rough.

The well marked low pressure area has intensified into a depression over north west Bay of Bengal and lay centred at about 160 km east south east of Balasore, according to a bulletin issued by the Bhubaneswar meteorological centre.

'The system is likely to intensify further and move in a west north westerly direction and cross north Orissa-West Bengal coast between Balasore and Digha today (Monday) evening,' it said.

Under its influence, heavy to very heavy rains are likely to occur at a few places with extremely heavy rainfall (more than 25 cm) at isolated places during next 24 hours, the bulletin said.