Scene of hope amidst ruins after family is pulled out alive… as anger mounts at Turkey’s president

Turkey’s president yesterday faced mounting anger at the slow response to the deadly earthquakes, as he insisted it was “not possible” to prepare for the disaster.

Rescuers continued to fight to find survivors, but hopes warned are dwindling for those who have now been trapped in collapsed buildings for more than 72 hours.

Amid the desperation – and growing anger at authoritarian Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan – dramatic rescue operations provided moments of hope, including an entire family of six rescued from the rubble of their home. Amid jubilant cheers from a large crowd gathered around the collapsed building, two girls and a boy were taken to safety by rescuers from the White Helmet Group in Idlib, Syria.

Three adults were also carried out by the rescue party and taken to an ambulance, which warned they were facing a “race against time” to rescue other survivors.

In the Turkish city of Hatay, an eight-year-old boy was rescued after being trapped alone in a collapsed building for 52 hours.

Two girls (one girl pictured) and a boy were taken to safety by rescuers from the White Helmet Group in Idlib, Syria

The brother (pictured) of the two girls was also pulled out of the rubble by rescuers

Rescuers brought Yigit Cakmak straight into the arms of his tormented mother, who hugged the distraught boy.

Elsewhere in Turkey, rescuers gave water from a bottle cap to a young boy trapped under a giant concrete slab for 45 hours.

Syrian refugee Muhammed Ahmed was trapped under the concrete and caked with dust, but he managed to smile at his rescuers as they used a plastic bottle cap to pour water into his mouth until he could be freed.

Almost 12,000 people have died since Monday’s powerful earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, and many thousands more are still missing.

Families have said they hear their relatives calling from collapsed buildings but are powerless to reach them.

In the Turkish city of Malatya, Sabiha Alinak said she trapped young relatives in a collapsed apartment building.

She said, “Where’s the state? Where have you been for two days? We request.’

Journalist Ozel Pikal said he believed the survivors froze to death as temperatures dropped to -6 °C (21 °F). He said: “To this day there is no hope in Malatya. Nobody gets out alive.’

The freezing temperatures have also hit survivors who sleep in cars or outside.

Pictured: The second daughter was rescued amid jubilant cheers from a large crowd that had gathered around the collapsed building

Three adults, including the children’s father (pictured), were also carried out by the rescue party and taken to an ambulance, which warned they were facing a “race against time” to rescue other survivors

President Erdogan visited some of the devastated areas yesterday and dismissed criticism of his response. Visiting Hatay and Kahramanmaras, two of the hardest-hit southern regions, he told journalists, “It is not possible to be prepared for a disaster of this magnitude.”

He slammed critics who said rescue workers and security forces had failed to reach the region, branding them “provocateurs”. Mr Erdogan acknowledged rescue efforts had been hampered by damaged roads but insisted his government was overcoming the problems.

There were reports of arrests for posting criticism on social media. Internet groups said access to Twitter has been blocked in an apparent attempt to limit public criticism. The government has previously restricted social media following disasters, terrorist attacks and protests.

Opposition politicians condemned the move as “crazy” at a time when survivors were relying on social media to find relatives, help and shelter.

Activist and lawyer Ali Gul accused the government of delaying aid efforts, adding: “They are killing people on purpose.” Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition, said: “If there is someone responsible for this process, it is it Erdogan. It is this ruling party that has not prepared the country for an earthquake for 20 years.”

The international rescue teams include a 77-strong team from the UK who have arrived with rescue dogs and state-of-the-art equipment. But there have been warnings that aid is not reaching Syria, which is already wracked by civil war.

Experts warned it was important to reach survivors within 72 hours before contusion, blood loss, dehydration, starvation and exposure to freezing temperatures became critical.

Ilan Kelman, Professor of Disasters and Health at University College London, said the window of survival is closing “quickly”.