4 Hyderabad-based tourists drive into stream in Kerala while following Google Maps

Using Google maps to navigate resulted in a tourist group from Hyderabad driving into a stream swollen with water near Kuruppanthara in this south Kerala district, police said on Saturday.

The incident occurred late Friday night when the four-member group, including a woman, were going towards Alappuzha. The road they were travelling on was covered by water overflowing from the stream due to the heavy rains and since the tourists were unfamiliar with the area, they drove right into the water body while navigating using Google maps, they said.

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All four managed to escape unharmed due to the efforts of a nearby police patrolling unit and local residents, but their vehicle was completely submerged under the water. "Efforts are on to pull it out," 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 police had issued cautionary guidelines for using the technology during the monsoon season.