A British couple has been rescued from the rubble of a collapsed building in Turkey, 54 hours after a devastating earthquake struck the region. The pair, whose names have not been released, were pulled alive from the debris in the city of Adana, according to local rescue officials. They were found in a small pocket of space and were immediately taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
The rescue comes as the death toll from the earthquake and its aftershocks has surpassed 24,000, with officials warning that the number is expected to rise further. The quake, which measured 7.8 on the Richter scale, struck early Monday morning, followed by a 7.6-magnitude aftershock hours later. Thousands of buildings have been destroyed, leaving hundreds of thousands homeless in freezing winter conditions.
In other rescues, a 10-day-old baby boy named Yagiz was saved in Samandağ, Hatay province, and a 40-year-old woman, Zeynep Kahraman, was pulled alive from rubble in Kırıkhan after more than 104 hours. German rescue team leader Steven Bayer described her survival as an 'absolute miracle'.
However, hopes are fading for many trapped victims. Experts say only about 6% of those not rescued within five days survive, compared to 74% after 24 hours. The freezing temperatures are further reducing survival chances. In Gaziantep, temperatures dropped to -3°C, forcing thousands to spend nights in cars or makeshift tents.
International aid continues to arrive. A second convoy of 14 trucks crossed into northwestern Syria, carrying heaters, tents, and blankets. The World Food Programme warned it is running out of stocks in the area and called for more border crossings to be opened. The US has pledged $85 million in aid, while the World Bank has announced $1.78 billion for Turkey.
The earthquake is now the seventh deadliest this century, surpassing the 1999 Turkish quake that killed over 17,000. The UN estimates 24.4 million people have been affected in Turkey and Syria. Rescue operations continue, but the focus is shifting to providing shelter and food for the displaced.
