Monsoon death toll rises

New Delhi, May 31 (UNI) Torrential rains that have so far taken 19 lives in Kerala and 12 in Karnataka, continued to batter the Southern coastal state today while the monsoon advanced to Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, West Bengal.

Eight people were killed and one washed away today in the heavy rains that continued to wreak havoc in Kerala forcing thousands of people to take shelter in relief camps and damaging standing crops and houses.

Sources said two persons each were killed in Thiruvananthapuram and Ernakulam while one person each died in Kottayam, Palakkad, Wayanad and Kannur districts.

Another person was washed away at Karukachal in Kottayam district.

As many as 10,000 people were shifted to relief camps as coastal and low lying areas continued to be under the threat of sea erosion and flood.

Torrential rains that X X X Eds here picking up from para 2 of DI 80, WEATHER-ROUNDUP.

UNI Team ARB HS2126