India, May 24 -- Eight members of a single family, including seven women, drowned in a river in Karnataka's Uttara Kannada district on Sunday after sudden strong currents swept through the area during a mussel-collecting trip, local authorities and media reports said.

The victims were among a group of 14 people from Shirali village near Bhatkal who had entered the Tatte Hakkalu river, also locally known as the Alvekodi river, to collect freshwater mussel shells, a common seasonal activity in the coastal region.

Police said the river's water level rose sharply within minutes, reportedly due to heavy rainfall in upstream areas, catching the group off guard.

Teams from the police, Fire and Emergency Services and local fishermen launched r...