Syria Earthquake: Newborn Baby Survives in Miraculous Turn

Following Monday's devastating earthquake, a newborn girl reportedly was rescued from the ruins of her house in northern Syria.

When she was discovered, her umbilical cord was still connected to her mother, a relative told Agence France-Presse. It's thought that her mother passed very soon after giving birth.

Miracle Baby Saved During Deadly Earthquake in Syria

According to cousin Khalil al-Suwadi, "We heard a voice while we were excavating. After clearing the debris, we discovered the infant with an attached umbilical cord. We cut it, and my cousin then brought the infant to the hospital."

In Syria and Turkey, where a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck early on Monday, survivors are still being extricated from the wreckage. Rescue attempts have been made more difficult by the cold weather, closed roads, ruined infrastructure, and several powerful aftershocks.

The saved baby is currently being treated at a children's hospital in the town of Afrin, where physician Hani Maarouf said that although the infant came with bruises, lacerations, and hypothermia, she is stable. According to Suwadi, she is thought to be the lone survivor of her immediate family. CNN reported that the earthquake completely destroyed the five-story apartment complex where they resided.

In Syria, where the unexpected devastation is adding to the anguish and misery of families currently dealing with the aftereffects of a ten-year civil war, at least 1,832 deaths are known to have occurred.

According to James Elder, a spokesman for UNICEF, the United Nations Children's Fund, around four million people in northern Syria were already internally displaced and dependent on humanitarian aid due to the conflict. Due to the harsh weather and cholera outbreak, this winter has been challenging.

As victims seek assistance, hospitals around the nation are overburdened; the earthquake even destroyed some institutions. The spread of sickness is a major worry, especially among youngsters. A combined funeral for the miracle baby's mother, Afraa, father, Abdullah, and her four siblings was held while she was seen resting in an incubator with a drip attached.

The White Helmets, a group of volunteer first responders that works in opposition-held regions, and the government in Damascus both estimate that the earthquake in Syria killed 1,800 people. In Turkey, the region with the worst death toll, 4,500 more people have perished. Approximately 1,020 deaths have been documented by the White Helmets so far, but they have issued a warning that this number is anticipated to "increase rapidly."

The UN has promised to utilize "any and all measures" to provide relief to those in the northwest. However, it has announced that delivery has temporarily been delayed due to damaged roads and other logistical problems. Additionally, it has advised countries to refrain from politicizing assistance distribution when so many people are in need. Deliveries from Turkey into the northwest may only utilize one border crossing, according to a UN Security Council decision.

Women, Children Who Survive Earthquake in Turkey, Syria

Although in the past, the government has only allowed a minimal quantity of "cross-line" aid, all other deliveries are intended to transit through Damascus. According to BBC, nearly 4.1 million people in the northwest, most of whom were women and children, were reliant on humanitarian help even before the earthquake.

Irmak, a 15-year-old girl, was found dead in the debris in Karamanmaras, Turkey, with her father, Mesut Hancer, still holding her hand. Ayse Kubra Gunes, 5, was rescued from the rubble of the nearby six-story building where she lived. When her father spoke to her when she was imprisoned, she boldly said, "I'm all right here. Dad, I'm OK."

After waiting seven hours, Ayse was eventually saved. A 15-month-old infant was also rescued from the city's ruins. Specialists from all across Europe and Jordan, China, Albania, Montenegro, and Mongolia have volunteered their skills to supplement the 24,400 search and rescue teams that Turkey has already dispatched.

Per Mirror, even the war-torn Ukraine offered to lend a hand with a squad of 87 people. For those who were left homeless, Qatar donated 10,000 shipping container shelters. In Turkey, there are over 380,000 survivors finding refuge in hotels or hostels run by the government.

There are 3,294 search and rescue teams from 14 nations that have already come to assist the devastated area. They were sent to Turkey's most severely affected provinces, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, and Adiyaman.

The injured were being transported to hospitals by ten ships, mostly from the Mediterranean port of Iskenderun, to aid in rescue attempts. Khaled Hboubati, the head of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, pleaded with the US and EU to end the country's long-standing sanctions against it.

Dr. Mike Ryan, director of the World Health Organization's emergency response, stated: "The scope of this calamity necessitates a sustained response."