Another miracle occurred 278 hours after the earthquake in Turkey and Syria. Hakan Yashinolu (45), a man in his 40s, survived for 11 days in the rubble of a collapsed building on the 17th (local time).
According to Turkey’s Anadolu News Agency, a rescue team searching the wreckage of an apartment building in Defnegu, Hatay Province, the southernmost affected area, found the man and immediately rescued him. The man was taken outside, tied to a stretcher, and immediately taken to the hospital by an ambulance.
“He is conscious,” said Turkish Health Minister Faretin Koca on Twitter. At the same time, he expressed his emotion, saying, “All exits from the wreckage are resurrection.”
Although 72 hours of golden time have passed since the earthquake and 10 days have passed since there are no survivors, the miracle continues. Earlier, three more survivors, including a 14-year-old boy, were rescued the night before and early in the morning.
While 11 southeastern provinces, including Elazig, have been declared disaster areas, rescue operations have been completed in three provinces, including Adana, Kilis and Shanliurfa. As a result, overseas rescue teams are slowly withdrawing, but local rescuers are still searching for survivors in the cold winter weather.
Vice-President Puat Okthai Turkiye said rescue operations were continuing at around 200 sites in the region. According to AFP, 24-hour searches are in full swing in some places.
The death toll from the earthquake in Turkiye rose to 39,672 that day. Adding at least 5,800 Syrians, the cumulative death toll in both countries is estimated to be 45,472. However, the actual death toll is likely to be higher in Syria, where it is difficult to count clearly due to poor local conditions.
According to CNN Turk, about 82,000 buildings in Turkiye suffered severe damage from the devastating earthquake. The World Health Organization (WHO) said on the same day that it needs 84.5 million dollars (about 110.1 billion won) to respond to the health crisis in both countries following the earthquake.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.