Mother and Baby Reunited After Earthquake in Turkey

At just over two weeks old, baby Azra Karaduman has survived a devastating earthquake, and the news just gets better, as just yesterday she was reunited with her mother, who protected her when the walls of their 7-story apartment building began to come down.

The earthquake, 7.2 in magnitude, pinned baby Azra, mother Semiha and the baby’s grandma under a couch amid twisted metal and rubble. They were there for nearly 48 hours, during which time Semiha fed her baby and then moistened her mouth with saliva when her milk ran out. All three were eventually pulled out alive, and news crews caught the rescue of the baby on camera, as she was pulled from the wreckage by aid workers.

Both mother and baby are now recovering in hospital together, after suffering dehydration. Miraculously, they had no other serious injuries.

While this story is a joyful one, the death toll from the earthquake is a grim reminder that not all had such happy endings. Over 530 deaths and 1,630 injuries have been reported from the quake, and weather complications (heavy rain and snow) are complicating rescue efforts and making it increasingly difficult for survivors to stay alive while waiting for help.