COIMBATORE: More than 15 houses were flooded in Bhavani in Erode district as Cauvery River has been in spate following heavy discharge from Mettur dam on Wednesday.

A flood alert was sounded and people residing along the banks of Cauvery in Cauvery Nagar, Indira Nagar, daily market, old bus stand and Palakarai were asked by revenue department authorities to move to safer locales due to surging water flow in the river.

The affected families in Cauvery Street were evacuated and sheltered in a school on the directions of Bhavani Municipality Commissioner R Mohan Kumar.

As inflow in the river is expected to increase further, the fire and rescue personnel have enhanced vigil and are ready with rubber boats to attend emergencies.

Also, tharpanam (a ritual for ancestors) has been suspended in Bhavani Kooduthurai.

As the old bridge from Bhavani to Kumarapalayam in Namakkal remains shut due to heavy flow of water, people are forced to take a detour of around seven kilometres to reach Kumarapalayam.

Meanwhile, the entire inflow of 1.50 lakh cusecs into Mettur dam at 12 noon has been discharged from the reservoir. A flood alert continues to be in place in downstream areas of Cauvery basin districts as the release is likely to be increased further to 1.75 lakh cusecs.

A large number of people from Salem and neighbouring districts turned up in Mettur dam to see the splendid scene of water gushing out of the 16 eye sluices.