A sudden flash flood along the Kottappuzha river at T.K. Colony near Pookkottumpadam, in Nilambur (a town in Malappuram district, Kerala, southern India), swept away a group of visitors on Sunday evening, killing five people and leaving one woman missing. The victims, who came from several parts of the district, had gathered on the exposed granite boulders along the riverbed — a popular pastime — when a surge of water flowing down from upstream forest areas rose without warning around 5 p.m. Fire and Rescue Services and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams recovered three bodies on Sunday night and two more on Monday morning, while search operations continue for Sajitha, a local resident who was swept away while washing clothes nearby. The incident has intensified calls for stricter controls on access to the area, which is prone to flash floods during the monsoon season, as Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan was expected to visit the site on Monday afternoon.