Extensive rainstorms with persistent torrential rains have caused major floods and landslides in the southern Indian state of Kerala in recent days.
So far, 24 people have been reported dead - five of them children, the BBC reports.
Many people are still reported missing and the death toll is expected to rise in the coming days.
"Sad"
Villages in the region have recently been completely cut off in connection with rivers flooding.
To date, thousands have been evacuated and hundreds of temporary camps have been set up in the area.
At the same time, more and more testimonies are coming about the devastation that followed in the wake of the storm.
Among other things, an entire family, including a 75-year-old grandmother and three children, has been confirmed dead after their home in Kottayam was swept away in the river masses.
Additional remains of children have also been found during landslides in the Idukki district.
On Monday, the extensive rescue work was intensified, with the country's military participating in the search for survivors.
Supplies and personnel are also flown in by helicopter in the region.
- It is sad that many people have lost their lives as a result of the heavy rainstorm in Kerala.
My condolences go to the affected families, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote in a statement on Twitter.
Hard hit
This is not the first time Kerala has been devastated by rainstorms.
In 2018, about 400 people died and over a million became homeless when the area was hit by major floods.
The area, which is flooded by 44 rivers, is one of the ten most vulnerable to floods in the country, with serious landslides as a result.
One of the reasons is that wetlands and lakes, which previously served as a barrier against river floods in the region, have disappeared as a result of increased urbanization and increased construction.