On Tuesday, the world watched in awe as video footage surfaced of a young man being rescued from the rubble, eight days after the deadly earthquake that struck Turkey on the first Sunday of the month. The magnitude 7.8 tremor, followed by thousands of aftershocks, killed over 37,000 people across Turkey and Syria, according to official counts.
The young man, Muhammed Cafer, 18, was tied up and carried out on a stretcher by rescue workers in Turkey’s Adiyman province. Cafer could be seen moving his fingers as he was led away, showing signs of life after eight days under the rubble. Shortly before, rescue workers pulled two brothers alive from the ruins of an apartment building in the neighboring province of Kahramanmaras.
The brothers, identified by the state-run Anadolu news agency as 17-year-old Muhammed Enes Yeninar and his brother, 21-year-old Baki Yeninar, were loaded into ambulances and taken to the hospital. There was no news about their health status at the time of the last update of this news.
These miraculous rescues come as a glimmer of hope amidst the devastation caused by the earthquake. Efforts are now focused more on helping the homeless, as rescue teams continue to search relentlessly for more survivors under the rubble.
The earthquake was felt across the country and even into Syria, leaving tens of thousands of people homeless and in need of assistance. As of now, around 42,000 buildings are reported to have collapsed, urgently needing demolition or serious repairs in ten cities across the country. The Urbanization Minister Murat Kurum has stated that there are urgent plans for the reconstruction of the damaged buildings.
Even as the rescue efforts continue, the people of Turkey have shown incredible resilience in the face of this disaster. Many who were displaced by the quake have been forced to live in makeshift shelters and rely on emergency supplies of food and water. The disaster has also had a huge impact on Turkey’s economy, with the country’s leaders calling for international aid to help cope with the aftermath.
Despite the devastation, the world has been inspired by the bravery and determination of the rescue workers who have been working around the clock to find survivors. The footage of these miraculous rescues is a testament to their dedication and skill.
The fact that survivors are still being found, even after eight days, is a testament to the courage and resilience of the people of Turkey. The world has watched in awe as these incredible rescues have taken place, and the people of Turkey have shown the world what it truly means to persevere in the face of adversity.
