Turkiye Earthquake Survivor Calls for Unity

Sat Feb 11 2023
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Monitoring Desk

ISLAMABAD/ANKARA: A 19-year-old university student Mert Sahin, who survived the devastating earthquake that hit Turkiye on Monday, has said that the disaster served as a reminder to enjoy every moment of life.

After 35 hours, a team of experts found Mert Sahin under the debris of a fallen building after hearing his uncle’s voice and using his cell phone to signal his location.

The team received the essential tools, such as generators, diggers, and concrete breakers, from nearby stores. Sahin, who was residing in his grandparents’ Antakya home on the second floor of a damaged five-story building, lost his grandfather and grandmother in the catastrophe.

He was talking to Arab News, saying that he was awake when the earthquake hit the region, watching a series on his phone, which meant he was alert and tried to wake up others family members. Sahin waited for the quake to end by lying on the bed for a while.

Sahin said: “This earthquake reminded me once again that enjoying every moment in life, respecting others, and helping people are the greatest virtues in the world.”

Life is so short and unpredictable, says survivor

He noted: “Yesterday, I started moving my right foot; now I am trying to turn my left. I know how much we should take care of our life and health. Life is so short and unpredictable; we should stick with each other. Even though they don’t know me personally, I’m grateful to everyone who looked after my health and the messages on social media. It’s priceless.”

He received care in the Mustafa Kemal Research Hospital in Hatay’s intensive care unit. Because of the damaged highways and collapsed buildings on the avenues, he claimed it took a while before an ambulance arrived.

Sahin, a mechanical engineering student at Yildiz Technical University, had gone to Antakya to attend a relative’s funeral and was likely to be back in Izmir on Tuesday. A stone column crushed his waist, and the building crash hurt his spine.

The earthquake has been termed the “disaster of the century” by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who also lamented that the government’s anticipated response time was not met. 

Up to this point, Turkiye has received aid from almost 80 different nations on both a financial and humanitarian level. The US has declared it will send Turkiye and Syria $85 million in essential humanitarian aid.

As part of its support for Turkiye’s rescue efforts, the US European Command has also started coordinating relief, medical, and water supplies from Incirlik Air Base. One of the nation’s aircraft carriers has been stationed closer to the country in case it becomes necessary.

The tireless work of local, national, and international teams has given worried residents hope, but dehydration and extreme cold weather still pose serious threats.

Rescue operations are currently focusing on debris where any noise can be heard. After the previous four days buried beneath the rubble, a mother and her 10-day-old infant were rescued on Friday.

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