White Helmets rescue entire Syrian family from collapsed home

White Helmets rescue entire Syrian family from collapsed home
The White Helmets rescued an 'entire family' from under the rubble of their collapsed home on Tuesday, after a devastating earthquake which has killed at least 11,000 people so far.
2 min read
09 February, 2023
The White Helmets saved the family as onlookers cheered [Getty]

White Helmets rescue workers saved an entire family from the rubble of their collapsed home in northern Syria on Tuesday following Monday's devastating Turkish-Syrian earthquake.

It took place in the village of Bisnia, west of Idlib, as dozens of civilians cheered at the scene, as a heart-warming video posted by the civil rescue team.

"A true miracle… the sounds of joy embrace the sky… joy beyond belief. An entire family was rescued from under the rubble of their house," tweeted the White Helmets, also known as the Syrian Civil Defence, with a video that was widely shared.

The earthquake struck the region before dawn on Monday and was followed by a series of aftershocks including a 7.5-magnitude quake. The disaster killed at least 9,500 people.

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For three days and nights since the tragedy unfolded, an impromptu army of rescuers have worked in freezing temperatures to find those still entombed among the ruins.

Relief agencies believe several thousand buildings were flattened across swathes of northern Syria, an area already plagued by war, a refugee crisis, and a recent cholera outbreak.

Humanitarian teams' videos of successful rescue operations are gathering considerable attention, providing a glimmer of hope as they continue to search for survivors.

Another video captured by civilians showed a "miracle baby" born under the rubble of a collapsed building in Syria's Aleppo province being rescued by humanitarian workers.

The newborn's mother is understood to have passed away after giving birth, according to activists, as its start in life has become a symbol of the dire devastation experienced by civilians. Yet as the hours tick by the chances of survivors of the quake being found alive also diminishes.