Key Points
- Stories of survival of those buried in earthquake in Türkiye.
- One man was trapped for three-and-a-half days.
- Survivors are expected to need psychological help well after their physical injuries heal.
In a city marred by mass death, the wards of Osmaniye State Hospital are brimming with stories of survival.
Murat Babaoglu, spent 88 hours trapped under the rubble of his home.
For three-and-a-half days, the 26-year-old whistled until he was found.
“Because a whistle is a high-pitched sound,” Murat said.
“They heard me, and then I told them where I was. They got me out from under five metres of rubble.”
The toll his ordeal has taken is clear to see; Murat has little energy and speaks softly.
He said he only had a little space to move during those days, and says it was “pitch black” under the rubble.
“It is indescribable,” Murat said. “Being stuck there for that long – I thought I was trapped for ten days.”
Rescue workers search for survivors on a collapsed building in the coastal city of Latakia in Syria. Source: AP / Omar Sanadiki
Somehow, Murat escaped with only a broken hand. He has since had surgery and expects to make a full recovery.
In another ward lies Berat Kar.
The 36-year-old climbed out of the rubble by his own strength with fractured toes and a crushed hip.
Berat Kar pulled himself from the rubble. Source: SBS News
“After climbing out, I saw with my own eyes that the building had completely collapsed. I was completely trapped under the rubble.”
Berat said his body is healing, but he is mentally shattered.
His sister has not left his side since he was admitted.
“Even now, when we get aftershocks, I make sudden movements, because of the trauma I’ve been through,” he says. “Even the smallest tremor, even the smallest noise can cause these reactions.”
“Maybe my wounds will heal, but psychologically, it’s going to take a while. I am aware of that.”
This is one of the only hospitals in this area that did not sustain significant damage during the twin earthquakes, so its staff are now caring for survivors from the entire region.
Maybe my wounds will heal, but psychologically, it’s going to take a whileBerat Kar
The doctors and nurses are survivors too; many have lost homes and family members, but they must keep working.
“Our priority is to give people medical attention,” head nurse in the orthopaedics ward Dilek Eynalli said.
“Our crew and all the staff of the hospital – within the very few moments of the earthquake, they were all here.”
They have since been treating people for a wide range of problems, including broken bones, crush injuries, dehydration and abdominal injuries.
But Dilek said their recoveries will likely continue long after they are discharged.
“Sure, their recovery might not take so long, but psychologically, they are going to need support,” she says.
“We are a strong country, and together, we are going to mend our wounds.”
