Sunday, December 26 2004 18:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Thiruvananthapuram: At least 86 people were killed and hundreds injured as strong tidal waves swept through Kerala's southern districts in the western coast, police said.

The highest toll of 67 was reported from Kollam district followed by Alappuzha 16 and three in Ernakulam district.

Hundreds of people were injured as gushing sea waters entered houses and fishing hamlets along the coast.

Severe sea erosion was reported Sakthikulangara, Alappad, Karunagappaly and Thangassery areas in Kollam and the Andhkaranazhi in Alappuzha district.

A large number of fishing boats and implements were washed away as tidal waves hit the coast.

Hundreds of families had been shifted to relief camps as police, fire force and medical personnel swung into relief operations.

State DGP Homrmes Tharakan is directly overseeing the relief operations.

The Southern Air Command here has flown two helicopters to nearby Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu to evacuate hundreds of people stranded on the Vivekananda rock.