Atleast 72 villages of Vadodara and Bharuch districts located downstream of Narmada river have been asked to remain on alert following release of water from Sardar Sarovar dam across Narmada river about 110 kms from Vadodara.

Talking to PTI over the phone on Monday, Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited chairman P K Laheri said that 45,000 cusec of water is being released from the dam after rain in the catchment areas of Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

The water level in the dam has touched 120 metres and has been generating 1250 mega watts of power at its 1450 mega watt river bed power house located below the dam, he added.

Vadodara district collector Rajeev Topno told PTI that the administration had sought help from local NGOs and swimmers for tracing the missing persons that are suspected to have been swept away in flooded Orsang river near Pichurvada village in the district on Saturday.

Five dead bodies out of ten missing persons have been recovered out of which one has been identified, Topno said.

Ten persons from Patna village went missing while crossing the Orsang river on Saturday morning to reach Pichurvada village for attending a religious function in an ashram.

Rains in Vadodra district has claimed nine lives so far.

Deaths were reported from Dankheda, Padra, Vadodara and Naswadi.

Meanwhile heavy rain continued to lash the city and district on the second day on Monday and 337 mms of rainfall, the maximum was recorded in Padra taluka.