• They had heard noises coming from the broken walls.
• Bringing tears to the eyes of her happy father.
• After neighbours called for help, it took rescuers five agonising hours to save her life.

ANTAKYA: The crucial 72-hour window for locating earthquake survivors in Turkey had long since passed.

But after more than 80 hours, 16-year-old Melda Adtas was discovered still alive, bringing tears to the eyes of her happy father and spurring the grieving nation on to a painfully rare bit of good news following Monday’s 7.8-magnitude tremor.

Over 21,000 people have died in Turkey and Syria, yet the father only felt relieved.

He said, “My dear, my dear!” as the rescuers dragged the teen from the debris and the onlookers cheered.

After neighbours called for help, it took rescuers five agonising hours to save her life.

They had heard noises coming from the broken walls.

Rescuers’ spirits improved when they discovered three survivors in the same structure, just one floor above Melda. They set off to hunt for the missing girl together with her distraught father.

God bless you, I say!

Melda was trapped beneath a fallen wall when rescuers found her.

Suleyman, one of a group of Black Sea miners who travelled south to aid, was in charge of her rescue operation.

His coworkers claimed that without him, the operation would not have been successful. He is adept at navigating dim, constrained areas.

As curious bystanders watched, the rescuers silently dismantled each barrier in order to stay in contact with Melda.

They suddenly arrived to the young girl, who was cold and battered but still alive, and gently transferred her to an ambulance that was already waiting.

Melda was wrapped with a blanket to protect her from the cold and curious glances as several rescuers, wearing helmets, covered in dust, and with worn-out faces held the stretcher.

When the earthquake wreaked havoc, many people who were caught up in the tragedy while they were asleep had almost nothing on.

Many people gave the rescuers hugs, kisses, and congratulations as Melda was placed in the ambulance safely. Many struggled to contain their tears.

One said, “We didn’t work for nothing; we rescued a female out of the wreckage.

Another, fatigued and perplexed by the torturous struggle against time, questioned, “What day is it? ”

Her father yelled, “God bless you all!”

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