Turkey earthquake: Trapped 17-year-old drinks urine to survive for 94hrs
Turkish rescuers pulled out a 17-year-old boy—trapped for four days after the devastating earthquakes that rocked Turkey and Syria on Monday and Tuesday—from the wrecked remains of a building in the southern Gaziantep province on Friday. Identified as Adnan Muhammet Korkut, the teen reportedly drank his urine to stay alive before being rescued from the debris of his family's home in the Sehitkamil district.
Teen narrates bone-chilling tale of being trapped under rubble
According to ABC News, 17-year-old Korkut was trapped under the collapsed rubble of the building for more than 94 hours. When the quake struck, he was reportedly asleep in his family's home and got stuck in the "fetal position." When the search operations were underway to find survivors, Korkut told ABC News he was "hearing voices, but I was worried they couldn't hear me."
Drank my own urine to stay alive: Korkut
In a viral clip, Korkut is reportedly heard telling rescuers that he drank his urine to stay alive and waited for them to rescue him. "I drank my own urine to survive and I survived thanks to my God," the teen told TRTWorld. "I waited for you guys (rescuers) to come, and you came, thank God. I thank all of you," he added.
Visuals of 17-year-old boy being rescued from ruins
Body of Indian man found under rubble in Turkey
Meanwhile, the body of an Indian national, Vijay Kumar, was recovered on Saturday from the debris of a 24-story hotel in Turkey's Malatya. The Times of India reported Kumar's family identified him with the help of a tattoo on his left arm from the pictures sent to them. The 35-year-old was staying at the hotel since his arrival on January 23 for project work.
How NASA is helping in rescue operations in Turkey-Syria
The US's National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is also doing its part by sharing aerial photos and information to assist rescue teams in the two earthquake-hit counties. Bill Nelson, the NASA administrator, revealed that expert teams are working to provide useful information by using the space agency's synthetic aperture radar (SAR), which is capable of monitoring the Earth under all weather conditions.
UN aid chief calls earthquake 'worst in 100 years'
United Nations (UN) aid chief Martin Griffiths has called the disastrous earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria the "worst event in 100 years in this region." During a news briefing on Saturday, he also praised Turkey's "extraordinary" relief work since the disaster. Griffiths hoped the aid would go to both government and opposition-held areas in Syria, adding things there weren't still clear, Reuters reported.
More than 24,000 dead so far
Over 24,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria so far, and thousands more were injured as efforts continued under freezing conditions to rescue those trapped under rubble after a series of devastating earthquakes in the two countries. Initially, preliminary rescue work was hindered massively due to a winter storm that covered most roads with snow and ice, hampering vital aid deliveries.
