An earthquake left three cows stranded on grass islands in New Zealand and our hearts are breaking

As even more proof that 2016 has gone to hell in a handbasket with no sign of returning to the light, the aftermath of a 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck New Zealand on Monday left these cows stranded on tiny grass islands, and the photos are absolutely heartbreaking. Gizmodo reports that the impact of the powerful earthquake split the land in such a way that the ground surrounding the animals simply gave way.

Footage captured by Newshub news service in the town of Kaikoura near the quake’s epicenter shows three stranded cows huddled together in their precarious post. The aerial vantage point offers a clear view of the surrounding collapsed landscape.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCXv9lhlIwU?feature=oembed

“It was not immediately clear who owned the cattle or what was being done to help them,” the AP wrote about the three stranded cows. Citing New Zealand’s overwhelming ratio of cattle to people — the country is home to 10 million cattle compared to its 4.7 million people —  the AP said it remains unclear who own the animals or what, if anything, is being done to rescue them.

So far, the New Zealand quake has resulted in two deaths and according to CNN, it has done billions of dollars’ worth of damage to the infrastructure, caused multiple aftershocks and left thousands of residents stranded, including tourists who are being airlifted to safety.