A baby being carried in a plastic crate by men during the Andhra floods

Two men wading through neck-deep water, carrying a baby in a plastic crate – it was one of dozens of distressing scenes caused by the deluge in the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The overhead shot shows the infant in a yellow plastic crate placed on a foam board as the men wade through muddy waters in Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh.

The family had to shift the baby out of their house as floodwaters turned roads into rivers and inundated houses in Singh Nagar locality as well as almost all other areas of the city.

Another video shows more than 200 cars – including many luxury SUVs – submerged in floodwaters in the city.

On Tuesday, 323 trains were cancelled in Vijayawada, 170 diverted and 12 partially cancelled.

Torrential floods have claimed 27 lives in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and damaged properties. Hundreds of thousands of people have been rescued and taken to relief camps. Many industries have also suffered massive losses due to heavy rains.

The Indian Air Force has flown in hundreds of rescuers and tonnes of emergency aid to the two states.

Rains cause massive destruction every year, but experts say climate change is altering weather patterns and increasing the number of extreme weather events.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he is conducting surprise inspections in flood-affected areas and taking feedback directly from the people through Interactive Voice Response System (IVRS) mode.

“People are going through difficult times. Snakes and scorpions are even entering upper-floor residences. I am conducting independent surveys on food safety and am receiving reports that food is not reaching some places. Rise to the occasion and work with humanity,” Naidu said.