The deadly monsoon rains that savaged Kerala claimed 13 more lives on Sunday, taking the toll to 210 in the last 10 days as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said most of the marooned had been rescued and the focus would now be on their rehabilitation. In a big relief, there was respite from the rains in most parts of the state after nearly two weeks of virtually non-stop downpour and the red alert has been lifted in several districts.

The deadliest deluge in close to a century has claimed 210 lives since August 8 and nearly 400 since May 29 when the south west monsoon set in over Kerala. More than 80 dams were opened, leading to floods while the rains also triggered landslides. High-range Idukki district, Malappuram and Thrissur are among the worst hit. A total of 724,649 people are sheltering in 5,645 camps following "one of the worst ever floods" in Kerala that has claimed some 370 lives and caused widespread destruction, Vijayan said on Sunday.