Nilambur flash flood toll rises to five; search continues for missing woman
Five bodies have been recovered after a flash flood swept away visitors at T.K. Colony near Amarambalam, Nilambur; the search for a missing woman, Sajitha, continued on Monday.
Five people have died after a flash flood swept away visitors at T.K. Colony near Amarambalam in Nilambur, with rescue teams recovering the bodies from the Kottapuzha river. The search for a woman who remains missing continued through Monday.
Three bodies were pulled from the river on Sunday night, and two more were recovered on Monday morning after Fire and Rescue Services and National Disaster Response Force personnel resumed operations, joined by police and local volunteers.
The deceased were identified as Parannaparamban Mohammed Kutty, 65, of Tirur; Mangadan Anas, 27, of Kottakkal; Srambikkal Raheem, 35, of Karuvarakundu; Kuppanath Sajjad, 23, of Kottakunnu, Wandoor; and Kuruppath Rafeek, 41, of Chettiyarammal, Wandoor.
Sajitha, a resident of T.K. Colony, was washing clothes in the stream near the tourist spot when the floodwaters swept her away. Fire and Rescue Services personnel, police and local residents were searching different stretches of the river for her.
Revenue Minister A.P. Anil Kumar, who represents the Wandoor constituency, reached the spot on Sunday night and supervised the rescue effort. Residents of the area have called for stricter regulation of access to the spot, which is known for flash floods.
Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan visited T.K. Colony on Monday afternoon and met relatives of the victims. He said the search for Sajitha would continue.
Anil Kumar and Public Works Minister P.K. Basheer visited the Government Medical College Hospital in Manjeri, where post-mortem examinations were conducted. The bodies were later handed over to the families.