The death toll in rain-battered Kerala touched 174 on Friday as a red alert continued in 12 districts, with the authorities continuing rescue operations after rains subsided. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had on Friday morning confirmed the death toll to be 164, but the figure was revised to 174 later.

He told the media that the situation arising out of unprecedented floods and subsequent havoc caused by turgid rivers and gushing waters in Kerala continues to be "grave". Since August 8 when the rains began pounding the southern state, around 2.40 lakh persons have been lodged in 1,568 relief camps across Kerala.