'He begged me to dig gently as his family could be under the mud', Earthmover operator recalls

Wayanad (Kerala) | Operators of heavy machinery, including earthmovers, deployed to dig out bodies from the landslide-ravaged areas of Wayanad district, have shared heart-breaking accounts of their experiences.

Operators described the scene as "emotionally unbearable" as they carefully navigated their machines through the rubble, unsure of what they might uncover.

Recounting a particularly harrowing experience, an operator said, "a young man approached me, pointing to a spot where his house once located. He begged me to dig gently, fearing that his family members were buried beneath the debris." "As I operated the machine, he broke down in tears," he said.

Another operator recounted the tense atmosphere at the site. "Upon arrival, I knew I was tasked with finding human remains. The weight of that responsibility was heavy," he said.

The operators said that despite the emotional toll, they remain committed to their task, driven by a sense of duty and respect for those they are helping to recover.