A husky was rescued 23 days after being trapped under a collapsed building due to a devastating earthquake in early February.
A dog named Alex was pulled from the rubble of a two-story building by animal welfare group HAYTAP in Antakya city, Hatay province after they overheard barking in a nearby area. After 23 days of being buried under the rubble and seemingly not eating or drinking, the dog remained awake, happily licking the face of the rescuer when he was freed.
Alex was taken to the HAYTAP animal field hospital. Turkish media said the dog was exhausted and lost weight but was in good health. Lifeguard Osman Polat said it was a miracle to find Alex alive more than three weeks after the devastating earthquake struck on February 6.
"It's really a miracle that the dog survived in that hole for 23 days without eating or drinking," said Polat.
Rescuers believe Alex was trapped when the two-story building collapsed on February 6. This male dog is stuck in a small hole in the middle of the rubble and lacks sunlight. It took the rescue team more than two hours to get Alex out.
After being rescued, Alex gasped, ears perked up, and lay in the arms of the lifeguard. It is still unclear how the dog managed to survive for such a long time without food and water.
Türkiye has just experienced a series of strong earthquakes that have turned the lives of millions of people upside down. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake on February 6 killed nearly 50,000 people and collapsed or severely damaged about 173,000 buildings. On February 27, Türkiye suffered another 5.6-magnitude earthquake that killed nearly 10 people and injured hundreds. There are also millions of people who have lost their homes, living in temporary shelters or shelters during the cold weather.
