A woman and her seven-year-old son died after they were swept away in a river in Kuttiyadi, even as heavy rain continued to batter Kozhikode district on Saturday (June 6).

The deceased was identified as Remya, 36, and her son Sivanand. Remya is the wife of Paleri Subeesh, a resident of Kaitherimukku. Remya, who was working as a pharmacist in Kuttiyadi, was washing clothes on the riverbank in the evening when Sivanand slipped into the water. She jumped into the river to rescue him, but both were swept away in the strong undercurrent.

Residents rushed to the spot and rescued Remya. Though she was taken to a nearby hospital, Remya did not survive. Rescue teams recovered Sivanand’s body later.

The authorities had earlier issued a red alert predicting a downpour in the district. The upland areas of the district, such as Thiruvambady, Koodaranji, Mukkom, and Anakkampoyil, received heavy rain from the morning. Though there was a respite from the rain for some time in the afternoon, the downpour started again in the evening. The district administration had earlier announced a holiday for educational institutions. Visitors have been banned near waterfalls and beaches under the control of the District Tourism Promotion Council. Water-levels are rising in rivers, and people staying in low-lying areas have been moved to safety.

An orange alert has been issued for the district until Tuesday (June 9), with very heavy rainfall in the range of 12 cm to 20 cm predicted in 24 hours. Beypore Port officials have urged boat owners to take precautions during the adverse weather conditions.