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Man With Dwarfism Uses Small Size To Rescue Turkey Earthquake Victims

Man With Dwarfism Uses Small Size To Rescue Turkey Earthquake Victims

29 year-old Ridvan Celik has been able to search for potential survivors amidst the rubble in Izmir, Turkey as rescue efforts continue.

Simon Catling

Simon Catling

Among the destruction caused by an earthquake that hit just off the coast of Turkey, there have been heroes attempting to rescue those stuck in the wreckage.

One of those is a brave rescuer with dwarfism, who has been using his small size to crawl under the rubble and help pull out victims trapped beneath.

Newsflash Media

The quake occurred last week in the Aegean Sea and also caused damage on several Greek and Turkish islands, while it was felt as far away as Crete.

However it's the Turkish city of Izmir that has arguably suffered the worst fall out from the natural disaster. Fortunately there have been people like Ridvan Celik trying to help amid a bleak situation.

Upon hearing of the earthquake, 98 cm (36 in) tall Ridvan Celik, 29, said he bought a plane ticket from his home and travelled to the epicentre of the earthquake to help rescue people from under the debris.

According to national newspaper Yeni Safak, Ridvan has since been working non-stop for four days, using his size to crawl into small spaces that other people cannot get into, in an attempt to try and find people who are still alive.

Newsflash Media

Ridvan told the newspaper: "When I heard about the earthquake in Istanbul, I bought my own ticket and came to Izmir. We met our teammates here."

The rescuer continued: "I think about the children and parents who might be under the rubble with my memories and experiences of the 1999 earthquake.

"I jumped on the task, thinking that it could be me or my loved ones under that rubble. I did not hesitate."

Newsflash Media

Even for those who have been saved from the rubble, it's remained an incredibly tough time on the ground.

Temperatures have been dropping below 10°C and many of the victims of the earthquake have been staying outdoors in tents, having to light fires in order to keep warm overnight.

As a result of the earthquake there have been at least 116 deaths in Turkey as well as the death of two teenagers in Greece.

Dozens of people remain missing and the rescue efforts continue.

However, other positive stories have emerged from the disaster too. A four year-old girl was discovered alive and wrapped up in a blanket amidst the rubble four days after it struck Izmir.

Tweeting after the rescue, Izmir mayor Tunc Soyer said: "We have witnessed a miracle in the 91st hour.

"Rescue teams pulled out [the] four-year-old alive. Along with the great pain we have experienced, we have this joy as well."

Meanwhile footage of a mother protecting her son as the earthquake hit the city has also gone viral, with both believed to have survived the hit unharmed.

Featured Image Credit: Newsflash Media

Topics: World News, Daily Ladness