Flood situation grim in southern, western states, 85 dead; rescue ops on

Nearly 1.25 lakh people have been displaced in Kerala including nearly 25,000 each in worst-hit Wayanad and Kozhikode

Kerala and Karnataka were facing a grim situation on Saturday as floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains left 66 people dead, while over four lakh people were evacuated in Maharashtra and 19 lost their lives in rain-related incidents in Gujarat.

Forty-two people died in rain-related incidents with 80 landslides in eight districts of Kerala since August 8, Chief Minister Prinayai Vijayan said.

Many people are still feared trapped under debris following major landslides that hit Kavalappara in Malappuram and Puthumala in Meppadi in Wayanad even as a red alert has been issued in eight districts of Ernakulam, Idukki, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode,