An emotional video shows a Syrian man comforting his young daughter moments after she is pulled from beneath earthquake rubble.
A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the border of Syria and Turkey early Monday morning, toppling buildings and causing mass devastation in both countries. At this time, the combined death toll in Syria and Turkey exceeds 6,000.
Aid has poured into the countries from around the world, and a report from Forbes said fatalities could reach 20,000 or higher as rescue efforts continued Tuesday.
One such rescue effort had a happy ending when a young girl was discovered after a rescuer cleared rubble away with his bare hands. In a video capturing the moment, the girl’s father can be heard comforting her as the rescuer grabbed fistfuls of rubble, exposing her face.
The Syria Campaign, a human rights organization, shared the clip of the girl’s rescue on Twitter Tuesday afternoon.
“Dad is here, don’t be afraid,” a man said in the video, according to English subtitles.
The Syria Campaign credited the Syria Civil Defence, also known as the White Helmets, as the rescuers that pulled Noor from under the rubble. The Associated Press also tweeted the video and said it occurred in Jinderis, Syria.
In the Syria Campaign video, rescuers encourage the little girl to speak to her father. When she turns to look at him, her face is covered in gray dust from the rubble.
“Thank god you’re safe,” her father says in the video, hugging her tightly as the rescuer pulls her from the rubble and hands her to him.
“Those heroes are saving lives under the most horrific circumstances with little resources,” The Syria Campaign tweeted, along with a link to donate to the White Helmets website.
The White Helmets are comprised of nearly 3,000 volunteers working to respond to attacks in Syria, according to the site.
Aftershocks have followed the devastating earthquake and continue to contribute to the destruction, which spans hundreds of miles across the two countries. The situation grew perilous overnight as survivors were exposed to freezing temperatures without shelter. Rescuers continued their efforts amid the frigid weather and continued aftershocks. Other challenges, such as fires, have risen as well.
More than 30 countries have sent rescue teams to Syria and Turkey, including Ukraine, which is sending an 87-member team to help the nation recover. The United States has pledged to help the ravaged countries, with President Joe Biden announcing U.S. teams were deploying to support search and rescue efforts.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment.
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