A luxury block of apartments in southern India was demolished today (January 12th) by controlled explosion for violating planning regulations.

In total, more than 350 flats - which housed around 240 families - in the coastal city of Kochi have been brought crashing down since yesterday as the Kerala government carries out one of the largest demolition drives in India involving residential complexes.

The exercise comes after the Supreme Court ordered the demolition of four residential buildings in a posh lakeside location in the city over violation of coastal regulation norms.