Dog Pulled from Rubble in Turkey 5 Days After Deadly Earthquake — Watch the Rescue
Rescuers in Antakya — the capital of Hatay Province — Turkey, found a living dog buried in the rubble of a collapsed building five days after a deadly earthquake hit the area.
On Feb. 6, a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey's central southern Gaziantep province, followed by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock and other destructive aftershocks, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The earthquake caused widespread destruction in Turkey and Syria, killing more than 35,000 people and leveling countless buildings in both countries, according to NBC News.
Search and rescue teams have been hard at work combing the debris left behind by the earthquake for survivors, with several saving humans found alive in the rubble days after the disaster.
On Feb. 11, nurse Elif Polat was working with a search and rescue team in Antakya when the group came across a dog stuck in a collapsed building. The team was amazed to find the dog alive after 138 hours in dangerous conditions.
"It was miraculous because we were removing debris and only dead bodies, and the dog was buried in the rubble with almost no gaps," Polat said.
The nurse and her team filmed their rescue of the lucky pup. In the clip, rescuers help the dog out of a narrow hole in a mountain of rubble.
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Dogs aren't only getting rescued in Turkey; they are also helping with the rescues. On Feb. 8, Mexico sent its beloved search and rescue dog team to Turkey to assist with recovery efforts. The canine team found international fame in 2017 for their heroic work following the Pubela earthquake.
To help earthquake relief efforts in Turkey and Syria, consider donating to these organizations: The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Doctors Without Borders, GlobalGiving, Save the Children, and The Syrian American Medical Society.
