Five bodies of the victims, who drowned in Thelgamu Oya in Matale, were recovered and search operations are underway to recover three more bodies, police said.

Police said at least twelve persons were bathing at the time of the incident and eight persons had gone missing.

The victims were identified as members of two families in Naththandiya.The bodies of 40-year-old Kingsly Rathnayaka, his wife's mother (59), 38-year-old Lasantha Uduwarage, his wife (38) and daughter (12) were recovered.

The bodies of two daughters of deceased Kingsly Rathnayaka and another daughter of deceased Lasantha Uduwarage are yet to recover.The police, life guard teams and the navy are conducting search operations with the assistance of the residents.