Hyderabad, Oct 9 (IANS): Amid heavy rains lashing Hyderabad, two crocodiles were spotted in the Musi river on Saturday.

The passersby on the busy Attapur bridge across the river saw the crocodiles coming out of the water and sitting on the rocks on the river bed.

Curious motorists stopped to see the reptiles and took pictures and recorded videos on their mobile phones. The authorities of Nehru Zoological Park were alerted to capture the reptiles.

It is believed that the crocodiles entered the river from Himayat Sagar or Osman Sagar, the two reservoirs upstream whose gates were opened on Saturday to release flood water.

This is not the first time that crocodiles have been spotted in the river, which flows through the city. In September last year, a crocodile was found resting on the river bed near Puranapul. Another crocodile was found dead near Kismatpur.

Meanwhile, with heavy inflows from upstream catchment areas, eight floodgates of Himayatsagar and four floodgates of Osmansagar have been opened to release the water into Musi river.

This is the second time in less than two weeks that the gates of the two reservoirs have been opened.

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has alerted the people living downstream of the river.

The release of flood water has led to increase in the water level at Moosarambagh, where the water was flowing over the Moosaram bridge.