Disabled man rescued after lying prostrate for five hours

REYHANLI, TURKIYE - A disabled man laid prostrate and trappped for more than five hours in the ruins of his residential building in Antakya when the devastating earthquake hit on Feb 6, before being rescued.

Abdul Wahab Salloum, 32, was in the living room on the first floor of a two-story house when the earthquake struck at 4am that day.

The Syrian citizen was carrying a broken left ankle after fleeing civil war in his home country to seek refuge in Turkiye and said he had to crawl towards the door to escape after the first tremor.

When he approached the door, there was the strongest tremor that caused the floor of his house to collapse and at the same time, the roof collapsed onto his back.

"In a state of prostration, the roof fragment fell on my hip. Fortunately, I was able to protect the back of my head with my right hand which was in a cast due to a broken bone earlier.

"However, I was unconscious after that," he said when met by Sinar Harian at his friend's house in this city.

Abdul Wahab said he gained his consciousness after more than five hours when he heard a neighbour's voice calling his name.

"I tried my best to scream for help and Alhamdulillah my cry was heard," he said.

His cousin, Mahmoud Salloum, 26, who was in the same building, died under the rubble.

Abdul Wahab said he regretted inviting Mahmoud, who lived in Istanbul to come to his house the day before the incident.

"I asked Mahmoud to come and take his sick brother to the hospital, I didn't think it was a death call for him.

"His body was next to me in the rubble," he said.

Abdul Wahab is one of the recipients of financial aid from the #BantuanBencana Sinar Karangkraf x Syria Care Fund which is channelled to ease his burden.

"I would like to thank Malaysians who are willing to extend this help," he said.

Sinar Harian together with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) Syria Care and Task Emergency Medical Service (TEMS) are currently in Turkey on a mission to distribute aid to earthquake victims including in Syria.

Public can participate in this mission by donating to the #BantuanBencana Sinar Karangkraf x Syria Care Fund.

Those who wish to contribute, can channel the donation to the account of Maybank Sinar Karangkraf Sdn Bhd, 564276-529068.

Donations to the #BantuanBecana Sinar Karangkraf x Syria Care Fund can be made via this link: https://info.sinarharian.com.my/tabung-bantuanbencana-sinar-karangkraf-x-syria-care/ Stay up-to-date on the Turkey earthquake here!