Flood toll in India's tourist hot spot Kerala surpasses 80; more rain due

NEW DELHI - With more deaths in the past 12 hours, the death toll in rain-related incidents since Aug 8 in India's tourist hot spot of Kerala state crossed 80, with more than 50,000 people seeking shelter in relief camps, officials said on Thursday.

"Till Wednesday evening, the toll stood at 67. In the past 12 hours, at least 14 people have died in floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains. Seven were just killed in a massive landslide in Palakkad district this morning," a disaster management official said.

Unconfirmed local media reports mentioned a much higher toll.