Mother breastfeeds, keeps baby alive during earthquake in Türkiye
Rescue crews pull Masal from the rubble, in Kahramanmaraş, southern Türkiye, Feb.8, 2023. (IHA Photo)


Miracles do happen during rescue efforts for earthquake victims in Türkiye.

Some 55 hours after the earthquakes hit southern Türkiye, rescue teams pulled out an 18-month-old baby girl alive from the rubble. Masal was rescued from under the quake debris in the Kahramanmaraş province, where it had its epicenter. Ömer Kıraççakalı, the girl’s father, who himself emerged from the rubble soon after the earthquakes, was reunited with his baby after 55 hours of hopeful waiting. Efforts are underway to rescue the mother, Yeliz Kıraççakalı 23, who remains under the rubble on Wednesday.

Kıraççakalı reportedly told rescue teams that she kept her baby alive by breastfeeding.