Torrential rains triggered a landslide in the southwestern Indian state of Kerala. The landslide hit the plantation in Idduki district in the early hours on Friday, August 7, 2020, when the workers were still sleeping. The tragic incident has reportedly killed about 43 people with dozens feared buried at the landslide spot in Rajamalai of Idukki. While families wait for the whereabouts of their near ones, two dogs have moved people at the site, after they both continued to wait for their missing masters. It has been three days, and the pets are reportedly not even moving from the place, as they patiently wait for their missing masters to return hopefully. Their endless wait amid the severe disaster will break your heart.

These two dogs have been quietly moving around at the site amid loud wails of relatives and noise of rock cutters at the site where the landslide created havoc. According to HT, some of the rescue officials tried to feed the dogs, but they refused to eat. Later some local residents urged them to take a few bites. People from the site reported that whenever a body was removed, they would rush to the spot and smell the area, in the hope that it’s their master.

MJ Babu, a senior journalist from Munnar, was quoted in the same report as saying, “The pets’ plight moved all. Whenever a body was extricated they used to rush to the spot and smell the area and return to the rocky shade waiting for the next. Tears rolled from many eyes seeing their desperate moves. No doubt a dog is man’s best friend.”

Some people also tried to take these dogs to their homes, but the loyal pets stood their ground. Babu further reported that residents have no idea how the animals survived the tragic incident, but pointed out that some of the domestic animals in the area seemed restless, the night before the tragedy.

The monsoon has caused destruction in the state. The residential areas in Kerala are submerged with floodwaters, and a red alert has been issued for six districts. On the same evening of August 7, at least 18 people died when a passenger plane skidded off a hilltop runway after landing in heavy rain in Kerala’s Kozhikode city.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 10, 2020 05:47 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).