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Environment / A photo story

A city under pressure.

Floodwater, construction dust and the aftermath of immersion along the streets and waterways of South India.

A pedestrian uses an umbrella while walking through a flooded street in Hyderabad. 25 September 2025.© Jwala Kotesh

Behind the photographs

The story
in the frame.

The effects of environmental change are often visible in ordinary journeys. These photographs record people crossing flooded streets, a pedestrian moving through construction dust and a lake being cleared after idol immersion.

The series brings together images from Hyderabad and Nellore, including rainfall ahead of Cyclone Montha’s landfall. Each frame records a specific encounter between the built environment, weather and daily life.

Photographs and field captions by Jwala Kotesh. Story introduction adapted from the portfolio.

The photographic sequence

Click a frame to view in full
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A pedestrian covers his face in dust near a construction site in Hyderabad. 23 March 2026.© Jwala Kotesh
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An amphibious excavator clears the remains of immersed Ganesh idols from Hussain Sagar. 9 September 2025.© Jwala Kotesh
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A commuter rides through floodwater during rainfall ahead of Cyclone Montha in Nellore. 28 October 2025.© Jwala Kotesh