Flood alert has been sounded in 12 villages around Thirumurthy Dam in Udumalpet in nearby Tirupur district, as surplus water is being discharged from the dam.

With heavy rains in the catchment areas, inflow to the 60-ft dam was heavy, leading to the release of around 350 cft of water, official sources said.

The dam level has reached 56 feet and is likely to reach the brim in a couple of days,
after a gap of 17 years.

People in the villages have been asked to move to safe areas for fear of floods, they said.