A 17-year-old girl now known as the miracle girl was pulled alive from the rubble 248 hours (10 days) after a fatal earthquake that ripped through Turkey, as rescue efforts continue in the country.
More than 42,000 people have died across Turkey and neighboring Syria following the powerful 7.8 magnitude quake on February 6, according to authorities.
Efforts to save survivors have been restricted by a cold winter spell across earth quake-hit regions, while authorities grapple with the logistical challenges of transporting aid into northwestern Syria.
On Thursday, February 16, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced an appeal for $1 billion in aid towards earthquake relief efforts in Turkey over the course of three months. It came two days after the UN launched a flash appeal for $397 million in earthquake aid for Syria.
Turkey's state news channel TRT Haber reported on Thursday, how their crew visited teenager Aleyna lmez in the hospital room after the rescue operation and talked to her and her doctors and family members.
Speaking from her hospital bed, Aleyna's eyes were seen open, her body covered up to her neck, and tubes inserted for oxygen supplements.
Alyena was taken directly to Kahramanmara Sutcu Imam University Faculty of Medicine after the rescue operation on Thursday.
In the video Aleyna's aunt and grandmother sat next to her bedside, touching her face and kissing her hands.
When the journalist reached out to Aleyna with a microphone asking how she was doing, Aleyna shook her head and smiled.
Aleyna's doctor Prof. Dilber said he was very surprised by Aleyna's good health condition and told TRT Haber: She couldn't eat anything and drank nothing the whole time (when she was under the rubble), but she was still in a good condition.?
Dr. Dilber added that ?since she couldn?t move under the rubble at all, we could say that her inactivity has protected Aleyna a little and she needed energy and she has endured during this time, but I guess we can't explain it that way.?
The moment Aleyna was brought into the hospital, she was conscious and talking to the doctors. ?We have made the necessary interventions. Body imaging was done, and blood tests were taken. She was in very good condition,? Dr. Dilber told TRT Haber.
?There was no hypothermia. Blood tests also showed very good kidney functions. Muscle enzymes weren't too high. Fluid therapy started immediately. After the fluid therapy, Aleyna still spoke to us very well,? he added.
Hacer Atlas, a member of the search and rescue team who saved the young quake victim told Turkey's state-run news agency Anadolu;
First we held her hand, then we took her out. She is in very good condition, and she can communicate. I hope we will continue to receive good news about her,? Atlas said about the moment when they found Aleyna.
Watch videos below.
Kahramanmaraş'ta depremin 248. saatinde kurtarılan 17 yaşındaki Aleyna Ölmez: "Hiçbir şey yoktu elimde, kendi kendime vakit geçirmeye çalıştım." pic.twitter.com/N9uAPALbNF
— FutbolArena (@futbolarena) February 16, 2023
Allahın Yardımı Geldi. 260. saatte Hatay'da 10 yaşındaki erkek çocuğu enkazdan sağ çıktı.
— Sinan AKYÜZ (@SinanAkyuz73) February 16, 2023
Hamit Osman Hatay’da 5.1 Tebrikler Trabzonspor Aleyna Ölmez Arda Turan Erden Osman Hatay’da 10 Offf Karsı- Nerdesin Sen Kalbim Son 10 İyilik Vakti #HepBirlikteKazandık #CelalŞengör pic.twitter.com/d6ZHN7HFra