Ten days after a deadly earthquake hit areas of Turkey and Syria, at least three additional people—including two minors—have miraculously been recovered from the wreckage.
Ten days after the tragedy, rescue efforts are shifting to recovery activities, and 17-year-old Aleyna Olmez has been called the “miracle girl” after being rescued alive from the wreckage in Turkey on Thursday, 248 hours after the earthquake on February 6.
Neslihan Kilic, 30, and Osman, a 12-year-old kid who informed rescuers that there were additional persons buried nearby, were eventually rescued after her.
Authorities estimate that a minimum of 43,885 people have perished in Turkey and neighboring Syria as a result of the strong 7.8 magnitude earthquake. In the midst of a severe humanitarian catastrophe exacerbated by years of political unrest, officials are struggling to bring relief into northwest Syria. Attempts to recover survivors have been delayed by a frigid winter period over earthquake-stricken regions.
At least 54 people have been detained in Turkey in connection with structures that were destroyed or damaged by the earthquake, according to Justice Minister Bekir Bozda on Thursday, amid criticism of the extent of the devastation.
Thursday morning, UN Secretary-General António Guterres made a $1 billion donation request for seismic relief efforts in Turkey over a three-month period. It was released two days after the UN issued a quick appeal for $397 million in earthquake help for Syria, covering a three-month period as well. Humanitarian organizations have emphasized the importance of providing psychological and mental health treatments in the impacted areas.
After the rescue mission, the TRT Haber crew from Turkey’s state news station paid teen Aleyna lmez a visit in the hospital room and spoke with her, her physicians, and her family. TRT Haber cameras captured Aleyna speaking from her hospital bed when her eyes were open, her body was covered up to her neck, and tubes for more oxygen were inserted.
During the rescue operation on Thursday, Alyena was sent right away to the Kahramanmaraş Sutcu Imam University Faculty of Medicine.
Aleyna’s aunt and grandma were captured on camera kissing and stroking her hands and face next to her bed. Aleyna shook her head and grinned when the TRT Haber reporter asked her how she was doing while extending a microphone to her.
She was unable to eat or drink anything the entire time she was under the rubble, yet she was still in fantastic condition, according to Aleyna’s doctor, Prof. Dilber, who told TRT Haber that he was very shocked by her good health.
“Because she couldn’t move under the rubble at all, we could claim that her inactivity has protected Aleyna a little and she required energy and she has endured throughout this time, but I guess we can’t explain it that way,” Dr. Dilber continued.
Future prospects for earthquake orphans in Turkey and Syria are bleak.
Aleyna was awake and conversing with the medical staff when she was taken to the hospital. “We’ve taken the required action. Blood testing and body imaging were performed. She was in excellent shape, according to Dr. Dilber, who spoke to TRT Haber.
“Hypothermia wasn’t present. Moreover, very good renal function was revealed by blood testing. Muscle enzyme levels weren’t excessive. Fluid treatment began right away. Aleyna continued to communicate with us extremely well after the fluid therapy, he continued.
The child earthquake victim’s rescuer, Hacer Atlas, told Turkey’s state-run news agency Anadolu that it took them a long time and a lot of work to find Aleyna.
“We took her out after first holding her hand. She can speak, and she is in excellent shape. About the time they discovered Aleyna, Atlas commented, “I hope we’ll keep hearing nice things about her.
17 yaşındaki Aleyna Ölmez enkazdan sağ olarak çıkartıldı.
— sevda turkusev (@sevdaturkusev) February 16, 2023
“10 gün boyunca hiçbir şey yiyip içmeyen birisinin böbrek fonksiyonlarının böyle korunmuş olması, yani bazı şeyleri tıbben izah edemiyorsunuz.”
Ee o halde 🤲🏻🤲🏻
Allahu Ekber.
pic.twitter.com/IT9ujeOs7C
Later, Aleyna was flown to the Turkish capital of Ankara, according to TRT Haber.
According to her brother-in-law Gazi Yildirim, Kilic, the 30-year-old lady who was recovered on Thursday, 258 hours after the earthquake, was also discovered in Kahramanmaras, where she and her family used to reside on the seventh floor of the Ebrar apartment complex.
Turk told reporters that her husband and two children, ages two and five, were still buried in the debris.
Kilic was able to speak and say her name to rescuers when they dragged her out of the wreckage, he claimed, despite the earthquake’s ferocity and the lengthy wait to be saved.
As Yildirim informed the CNN Turk reporter that Kilic’s grave had already been prepared, he broke down in tears.
“May Allah rescue other people. Her husband, who is still buried under the rubble, had two children with her.
Osman, a 12-year-old child, was also rescued a few hours later in southern Hatay province.
Osman was found seated in a hole surrounded by beams and debris and appeared to be in rather decent shape, according to reports Turk. He was sent to a hospital for a physical examination.
Osman informed the rescue crew that there was a second person nearby. Once Osman was saved, police intensified their hunt for the second individual and used guide dogs to further scour the area.
The three join a small handful of earthquake survivors who, earlier this week, defied forecasts that there was no chance of survival. Tuesday, 212 hours after the earthquake, a 77-year-old woman was found alive in the ruins of the city of Adiyaman.
