Coimbatore: A flood alert has been sounded along the Bhavani river in the district, as surplus water is being released from Pilloor Dam, even as people living on the banks have been asked to move to safer places.

With the onset of South West Monsoon,Coimbatore and neighbouring districts, particularly Nilgiris district, is experiencing heavy rains in the catchment areas for the last two days.

Besides, 12,000 cusecs of water is being released to Pilloor from Kunda dam in Nilgiris district, which is full to the brim, the district collector, T N Hariharan said in a release here.

In view of this, 6000 cusecs of water is being released from Pilloor through two sluice gates each, due to which there is the possibility of Bhavani in spate.

Considering the situation, Hariharan asked the people living on the banks and low lying areas to move to safer places.

The water level in the Pilloor, with 100 feet capacity, has touched 94 feet early today, which was 85 feet last night, following inflow of nine feet in the last 12 hours, official sources said.