4 days under the rubble – mom tells: “How my baby and I survived”

Necla (33) only became a mother again on January 27 and named the newborn son Yagiz – “the brave one”. She and her family live in Turkey’s Hatay province, on the “second floor of a five-storey modern house”. So far, she has “felt safe” there.

Until the devastating earthquake on February 6, which has killed more than 40,900 people so far. Thousands are still missing and the death toll is likely to exceed 50,000.

Necla’s descriptions of more than 96 hours in absolute darkness are sometimes hard to believe. And yet the 33-year-old tells an almost unbelievable story that shows incredible inner strength, the will to survive and perseverance. The struggle of a mother, a strong woman, who told the BBC about 96 hours of terror, despair and hope.

Images of the rescue operation in Turkey and Syria

Buried Alive Under Rubble – Necla’s Chronology:
February 6, a little after 4 a.m. Necla is breastfeeding her newborn baby, her husband Irfan and their three-year-old son Yigit are in the next room. Suddenly the ground starts shaking, seconds later her family is under the rubble. “When the earthquake stopped, I didn’t realize I had fallen a floor. I called their names, but there was no answer,” Necla said, holding her baby tightly. A fallen wardrobe had saved the two from falling debris. Necla and Yagiz should hold their positions for four days.

“Is there anyone?”
Deep darkness would have surrounded Necla and Yagiz, the dust making it hard for her to breathe at first. But at least it was warm under the rubble, she was only wearing pajamas. At first she kept calling “Is anyone there?” and knocking small stones against the wardrobe. However, there was no answer, so she quickly decided to save her energy. “I was terrified,” she told the BBC. The ceiling so close above her could have collapsed at any moment, burying her completely.

Baby gave Necla strength – and hope
In total darkness she lost all sense of time. Somehow she managed to breastfeed her son. He slept most of the time, she herself was hungry and thirsty. She desperately tried to drink her breast milk – unsuccessfully. She heard footsteps and screams overhead, but the muffled sounds felt “far.” All the while she thought about her husband and her eldest son. Would they have survived? Are they okay? Necla had little hope for herself. Only thanks to the presence of Yagiz, she did not give up hope.

The rescue
After more than 90 hours, Necla finally heard dogs barking and people screaming wildly. “Are you okay? One knock for yes, it dawned on her. They had been found! Her rescuers from the Istanbul Municipality Fire Department carefully dug up to her. Finally the darkness broke in two, the light blinded her and Necla breathed fresh air for the first time. She was put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. While still in the ambulance, she asked about her second son.

Necla and Yagiz were physically unharmed
Relieved family members waited for her at the hospital and told her that her husband Irfan and their second son had also been rescued. However, the two had been taken to another hospital due to serious injuries to their legs. Necla and Yagiz, on the other hand, had not sustained any physical injuries. After 24 hours they were sent home.

“Hello warrior, how is my son?”
Like thousands of others, they were housed in emergency shelters, where they lived in a tent with 11 other family members. In the tent, the family supports each other, makes coffee on a small stove, plays chess and tells stories. Necla is “trying” to process what happened. She says it is thanks to Yagiz that her life was saved. If he hadn’t been so strong, she “wouldn’t have made it either.” She hopes he never has to go through something like this again and she’s glad he’s still too small to remember what he went through. Then her cell phone rings. Her husband Irfan asks about his wife and little son. “Hello warrior, how is my son?” he asks proudly.