Heart-Wrenching Testimony from Wayanad: The Surgeon's Perspective on Landslide Tragedy

A government doctor shared a harrowing account of performing post-mortem examinations on victims of landslides in Wayanad. The devastation has left even experienced forensic surgeons overwhelmed. The process involved working through the night, with bodies arriving in horrific conditions. The doctor highlighted the emotional and mental toll on the medical team.

As the death toll from the devastating landslides in Wayanad district continues to rise, a government doctor has shared an emotional account of the tragedy's magnitude. Stationed at a local hospital for post-mortem examinations, she recounted scenes that will haunt her forever.

'I'm accustomed to performing post-mortems, but nothing could have prepared me for this,'' she said, her voice laden with emotion.

The doctor, who wishes to remain anonymous, described encountering severely mutilated bodies, some crushed beyond recognition. The scale of destruction has left her and her team struggling to cope, despite their extensive experience.

'The impact was so severe; it was as if the person had been pulverized,'' she added. More bodies began to arrive, many highly disfigured.

'I told myself I couldn't handle this when I saw the first body. It was so crushed, and the second one was that of a one-year-old child. I felt an overwhelming urge to run away to a hospital where we could care for survivors. But I had no choice; we performed 18 post-mortems that day,'' she told PTI.

With the number of bodies growing, additional forensic surgeons from across the state arrived to speed up the post-mortem process. By evening, eight tables were in use, each manned by a forensic surgeon, enabling the completion of 53 post-mortems by 7:30 pm.

The team worked until 11:30 pm, completing over 93 autopsies on the disaster's first day. The system operated efficiently with an abundance of forensic surgeons, preventing delays.

'The situation is so pathetic. We have never seen bodies in such conditions before. Even seasoned doctors find it difficult to handle bodies like this,'' the doctor stated.

The tremendous force had shredded bodies, sometimes leaving only internal organs for identification, necessitating DNA analysis.

Rescue teams continue to retrieve more bodies from isolated areas affected by the landslide, with doctors working tirelessly despite the mounting emotional and physical toll.

Health Minister Veena George emphasized the need for psychological counseling for survivors, many of whom have witnessed traumatic scenes that will linger for a lifetime.