A group of tourists from Hyderabad drove into a flooded stream near Kuruppanthara in this district of south Kerala after using Google maps as a navigational aid, according to police today.
The incident happened late on Friday night as the four people—a woman included—were traveling to Alappuzha.
Because of the heavy rains, the stream overflowed onto the road they were traveling on, and the tourists, not knowing the area well, drove straight into the body of water while using Google maps, they claimed.
All four managed to escape unharmed due to the rescue efforts of a nearby police patrolling unit and local residents, but their vehicle sank.
“Efforts are on to pull out the vehicle,” an officer of Kaduthuruthy police station said.
This is not the first such incident reported in Kerala.
In October last year, two young doctors died in a car accident which occurred after they allegedly followed directions on Google Maps and fell into a river.
Following the incident, the Kerala Google mapshad issued cautionary guidelines for using the technology during the monsoon season.
