Two brothers trapped under rubble in the earthquake-devastated city of Kahramanmaras in Turkey have been rescued after a terrifying ordeal.
According to theNew York Times, Abdulbaki Yeninar, 21, and Muhammed Enes Yeninar, 17, rationed bodybuilding supplements and drank their urine to survive when they were trapped under debris for nearly 200 hours.
“Breathing was easy,” Yeninar toldthe Ihlas news agency, per theTimes. “We took protein powder.”
The brothers were among at least nine rescues over a week after the 7.8-magnitude earthquake destroyed buildings and killed tens of thousands inTurkey and Syriaon Feb. 6.
More than 35,400 people in Turkey have died due to the earthquake, with 5,800 dead in Syria,Al-Jazeerareported on Tuesday.
Durmus Genc/Anadolu Agency via Getty
“Our search-and-rescue teams pulling out our citizens alive,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said during an address to the nation, according to theTimes. “Even after many long hours, is the most important source of consolation amid this dark picture.”
Hisam Hac Omer/Anadolu Agency via Getty
A surviving relative toldCNNthatfour members of a New York City familyvisiting Turkey were killed when their building fell during the quake.
RELATED VIDEO: Turkey-Syria Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 20,000: ‘We Can Call It the Disaster of the Century’
“There are no words I can describe how my family is feeling, how they were taken away so soon,” relative Salma Salazar told the news station.
She later added: “I want people to know that this is a really big problem in Turkey and in Syria and although I lost my family, there are currently still people under there.
To help earthquake relief efforts in Turkey and Syria, consider donating to these organizations:The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies,Doctors Without Borders,GlobalGiving,Save the Children, andThe Syrian American Medical Society.
source: people.com
