Among the countless scenes of disaster and despair from the Kerala floods, the video will stand out. “This is the scene inside my home,” declares a city-dweller. “The water is rising and it may reach the second floor.”

“There is no way to escape from here,” he continues. “I called several people including the MLA to inform them of our condition. Praying for their arrival.”

Scenes captured on camera from elsewhere in the state also show the extent of the disaster.