The toll of the victims of the 7.8 Richter earthquake in Turkey and Syria has surpassed 23 thousand dead a week ago.
Australia mourns yet another victim, the second. This is Suat Bayram a 69 year old Melbourne resident who was in Turkey on holiday.
It was preceded by news of the whereabouts of another male Sydney resident from Australia, aged 62. Can Pahali was found dead earlier this week. Note that his body has not been officially identified. An Australian woman was also found dead. Four Australian nationals were missing. One was found unharmed.
Greece is also mourning the dead from the blow of Enceladus. A pair of Greek residents of Antioch were found dead,
George Antipas and his wife, Nida Antipa, 65 and 62 years old respectively. According to Greek press reports, they were found hugging under the bed in the apartment living under tons of cement.
Rescue crews continue their work — among them are ranks from Greece and Australia as well as rescuers from many other countries. However, hopes of finding alive among the rubble are fading as almost five days have passed since the deadly earthquake.
And amidst the despair and human suffering — caused not only by the dead but also the wounded, the missing and the displaced — a good news coming from the earthquake-stricken regions of Syria has raised — somewhat — hopes.
From the ruins of a building in the city of Jablé three people were recovered alive 110 hours after the 7.8-degree earthquake.
The rescue of two of them was captured on a live television broadcast. While rescuers from Syria and Lebanon were taking a woman and her child out of the rubble, residents burst into applause and shouted “God is great”.
