'What a miracle': Horse rescued from rubble 21 days after devastating Turkey quake
The animal was reportedly found in Adiyaman, Turkey, which suffered extensive damage during the earthquake
Rescue teams discovered a horse alive and well under the rubble of a collapsed building in the Turkish city of Adiyaman 21 days following the devastating earthquakes that rattled the country.
A video posted to Twitter shows rescue teams working together, eventually freeing the horse after several hours and leading it to safety.
Amazing amazing amazing
In Adiyaman, a horse found alive in the rubble of a building 21 days after the earthquake was rescued by the teams👏👏👏#earthquake #horse #turkey #adiyaman pic.twitter.com/XSFAQjbKYX— Tansu YEĞEN (@TansuYegen) February 27, 2023
Shared by Turkish entrepreneur Tansu Yeĝen, the video has since gone viral, racking up 3.4 million views by Tuesday afternoon.
“Amazing amazing amazing,” the businessman wrote in the caption of the post.
Comments have been pouring in from across the globe.
Had tears in my eyes what a miracle the horse didn’t give up .
— Ginashamma (@ginashammaa) February 28, 2023
Another commenter pondered how many other animals could still be in need of help.
OMG. This makes we wonder AGAIN, how many pets and other animals are waiting to be rescued.
— JK Chantler (@chantler_jaki) February 28, 2023
Reports indicate that the horse had been trapped beneath the rubble of a collapsed structure since the February 9 earthquake.
It appears to have survived 21 days without food or water.
Some on Twitter questioned whether it is possible for a horse to survive that long without water.
Not trying to be cynical here but who groomed the horse before they dug him out. And who fed and watered him for 21 days? There’s no way a horse can survive that long without water at least.
— Seamus Murphy (@SeamusM82406596) February 27, 2023
A horse cannot survive a week without water. Make it make sense.
— GODMADE (@__chacha_1) February 27, 2023
But some others pointed to the rainfall Turkey received shortly after the earthquake as a possible source of water for the horse.
iirc it rained shortly after the quakes. A lot of people survived because of it while others sadly drowned from the rain. Horrible stuff.
— 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓵 🏳️🌈 (@FruityK0ala) February 28, 2023
According to Turkish media, Adiyaman, located near the Syrian border, is in a region that suffered extensive damage during the February 6 earthquake.
Official numbers released by Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) on Friday pin the death toll at 44, 218 with the number expected to continue to climb.
Nearly 240,000 rescue workers continue rescue efforts across the country’s worst-hit areas, however, there have been no accounts of survivors being rescued over the past several days.
No updates have been provided on the horse’s condition following the rescue.
