Dramatic time-lapse footage of floodwaters engulfing a street in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, was shared on Tuesday, highlighting the severity of the crisis facing authorities after heavy rain in coastal districts claimed nearly 50 lives—most in the city—and impacted over 10 lakh people.
CCTV footage from Vijayawada's Ajit Singh Nagar, which was submerged after a breach in the Budameru canal, initially showed ankle-deep water on the narrow street at 9 a.m., with no signs of the rapid surge that was to follow.
Within three hours, the street was submerged under four feet of murky grey water, with plastic bags and debris floating along. As the water level rose, some concerned residents waded through the flood to reach their two-wheelers and drive away.
Ten seconds into the clip, the water had risen from ankle-deep to knee-level.
At the 20-second mark, three parked two-wheelers were halfway underwater.
But the worst was yet to come.
Between the 30- and 45-second marks, the water rose significantly, reaching well above the waists of five men struggling to navigate through the street, almost swimming in muddy brown water filled with plastic and garbage.
By this point, the street had become nearly impassable—except perhaps by boat—and the water continued to rise, overtopping four-foot-high compound walls.
The situation was similar in other parts of the city, with officials reporting that over 30,000 houses were completely flooded. More than 100 fire engines were deployed to clean algae and debris from walls and inside compounds.