After spending 23 days trapped under the rubble of a collapsed two-story building, a husky named Alex was miraculously rescued by a team of volunteers in Antakya, Hatay. Despite the lack of food and water during that period, Alex was found to be in good health after his rescue. The province of Hatay has been one of the areas hit hardest by the recent devastating earthquakes in southern Turkey and northern Syria, which have claimed more than 50,000 lives.
The rescue team, who were carrying out searches nearby, heard Alex’s cries for help and located him buried under the debris. Video footage captured the heartwarming moment when the team successfully freed Alex, and the dog affectionately licked his rescuer’s face. After his rescue, Alex was taken to the HAYTAP Field hospital, where he received medical attention and care from volunteers. Although the dog had lost weight and was exhausted, he was otherwise in good health.
Volunteer Osman Polat, who helped with the rescue, expressed amazement at the dog’s survival. He told Turkish media outlet Oda TV, ‘It is truly a miracle that he survived in that hole for 22 days without eating or drinking anything.’ It is unclear how Alex managed to survive for so long without sustenance, especially given the lack of sunlight while trapped under the rubble.
Alex’s rescue brought hope and joy to the community in the wake of the earthquake’s devastation. Volunteers were seen showering the friendly pup with affection and games after his rescue, and footage of the rescue quickly spread across social media. As Turkey continues to recover from the recent earthquakes, Alex’s survival story serves as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit – and the remarkable strength and determination of our animal companions.
Hatay’ın Akcurun Köyü’nde depremin yaralarını sarmak için çalışan Seydişehir Belediyesi ekipleri Alex isimli köpeği enkaz altından canlı çıkarttı.https://t.co/9VFo7SgHLy pic.twitter.com/JHw5pQztN3
— Konhaber.com 🇹🇷 (@konhaber) March 1, 2023
22 gün sonra ‘Alex’ kurtarıldı
— Odatv (@odatv) March 1, 2023
The first devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria occurred in the early morning hours of February 6 while most people were sleeping.