A three-year-old girl has been rescued alive from the rubble of a collapsed building nearly 65 hours after a powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.0 hit western Turkey on Friday, 30 October. More than 100 people have been declared dead and over 800 injured, AFP reported. The earthquake also hit parts of Greece.
The girl has been identified as Elif Perincek.
“In the 91st hour, we experienced a miracle. Rescuers took off the four-year-old Ayda safely. In addition to the great pain, we also experienced this happiness. I express my gratitude to the rescuers. Don't let stones touch your feet,” Izmir mayor Tunc Soyer tweeted.
Following the Mayor’s tweet, Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca later clarified that the child was actually three and not four-year-old, reported AFP.
Perincek was rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building in Bayrakli, Turkey. One of the firefighters who pulled the girl from the rubble of her home told CNN that “she was a miracle”. The minor girl was taken to safety and wrapped in a foil blanket, reported AFP.
Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca on Monday, 2 November stated that Perincek was soon taken to the hospital and was being treated in intensive care. He also stated that the girl did not sustain any serious fractures or other injuries and that she was in a good condition.
Perincek’s mother and two sisters were also rescued two days earlier. However, her six-year-old brother did not survive, reported abc news.
What Had Happened?
A powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 in magnitude hit Turkey on Friday, 30 October, leaving in its wake at least 100 people dead and over 800 injured, Associated Press reported. The earthquake also hit parts of Greece.
Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca earlier stated that 38 ambulances, two ambulance helicopters and 35 medical rescue teams were working in Izmir.
While a government minister reportedly said that people were trapped in the rubble, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted: “Get well soon İzmir.”
Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency, or AFAD stated that more than 3,500 tents and 13,000 beds are being used for temporary shelters, and more than 8,000 personnel and 25 rescue dogs are on the mission, reported Al Jazeera.
(With inputs from AFP, AP, Al Jazeera)
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