14-year-old rescued 58 hours after Turkey earthquake

IZMIR

A 14-year-old girl was rescued early Monday, 58 hours after magnitude-6.6 earthquake jolted Izmir, Turkey's third largest city.

The rescue operation by the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) to pull Idil Sirin out of the rubble lasted for four hours, and Hulya Cetin Ozoglu, a member of the National Medical Rescue Team (UMKE), stayed next to her throughout the operation.

Her sister Ipek, unfortunately, could not be saved.

“It's good feeling for us to reach Idil alive, but not being able to save her sister was disappointing,” said Ozoglu.

Idil was moved to a hospital after first aid.

Seven hours later, rescuers saved three-year-old Elif Perincek, whose mother, brother and two sisters were rescued two days earlier. Her brother died later.

Death toll from the quake has reached 85. So far, 106 people have been pulled out of the debris as search and rescue activities continue.

Food has been distributed among survivors, and thousands of tents have been set up for those whose houses have been destroyed.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that his government is “determined to heal the wounds of our brothers and sisters in Izmir before the cold and rains begin,” and new homes will be built “as soon as possible.”

Turkey is among the world's most seismically active zones as it is situated on several active fault lines. It has suffered devastating earthquakes in the past as well.

*Writing by Havva Kara Aydin