Five bodies have been recovered from the Kottappuzha river at T.K. Colony near Pookkottumpadam, Nilambur, Malappuram, Keralam, where a sudden flash flood swept away visitors on Sunday evening. Search operations are continuing for Sajitha, a resident of T.K. Colony, who is still missing.

Three bodies were recovered on Sunday night and two more on Monday morning when Fire and Rescue Services and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) personnel resumed the search.

The deceased have been identified as Parannaparamban Mohammed Kutty, 65, from Tirur; Mangadan Anas, 27, from Kottakkal; Srambikkal Raheem, 35, from Karuvarakundu; Kuppanath Sajjad, 23, from Kottakunnu, Wandoor; and Kuruppath Rafeek, 41, from Chettiyarammal, Wandoor.

Sajitha was swept away while washing clothes in the stream near the tourist spot at T.K. Nagar. Fire and Rescue Services personnel, police and local residents are searching different stretches of the river.

Kottappuzha can look harmless when the water is low. Large granite boulders lie exposed along the riverbed, and visitors often climb onto them, sit by the water and spend time there. On Sunday evening, many had gathered at the spot as it was a holiday.

But the river flows through an area fed by streams from the forest. Rain several kilometres upstream can send a sudden surge of water downstream, even when there is little or no rain at the spot. There may be little warning before the dry riverbed and exposed rocks are covered by a fast-moving current.

Several visitors were on the rocks in the middle of the river when the water rose suddenly around 5 p.m. on Sunday. Some were swept away within seconds.

“You will never know when water will start gushing down the stream when it rains in the forest. You will have no clue at all, as it happened on Sunday evening,” said Mubarak, a local resident.

Forest Department officials and local residents noticed the rising water and alerted people at the spot. They also joined the rescue efforts, helping to prevent further casualties.

Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar, who represents Wandoor constituency, reached the spot on Sunday night and supervised the rescue operations. Local residents have called for stricter measures to regulate access to the area, which is known for flash floods.

CM to visit

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will visit T.K. Colony at Pookkottumpadam on Monday afternoon. He will pay his respects to the victims.

Public Works Minister P.K. Basheer visited the Government Taluk Hospital at Nilambur, where the bodies have been kept. He also met the bereaved families and visited the accident site.

Aryadan Shoukath, MLA, is at the site coordinating the search operations.

The incident has renewed concerns over visitors entering riverbeds and climbing onto rocks during the rainy season.