This is how 8-month-old baby Zeynep, stranded in the flood, was rescued

Due to the heavy rain that started in Sakarya on Wednesday evening and continued intermittently until this morning, flood waters caused the stream passing through the Fevziye District of Sapanca district to overflow and the bridge to collapse.

AFAD teams dispatched to the region came to the aid of the family stranded in the bungalow by the stream.

The teams, who set up a rope mechanism over the stream, rescued a total of 8 people, including 1 baby, 1 child and 2 women, who were stranded.

AFAD personnel and other officers, who tried to put the baby to sleep after he woke up from his sleep by rocking him again during the rescue, talked about those moments.

"THE MOTHER HUGING THE BABY WAS A PRICELESS FEELINGS"

Sakarya AFAD Wilderness Search and Rescue (DAK) team chief Murat Ergül said that they first evacuated the children's mothers to a safe area during the rescue operation.

Stating that they later changed the safety points, Ergül said, "Our 5-year-old child named Ayaz was very scared, we had to calm him down. I told him about my own child, he was asking how to cross the street. We crossed the street by saying 'We can be Superman' and calming him down like Superman, even pointing my fist forward. Then it was our baby's turn. When I tied our baby to the system (rope), he was sleeping, we woke him up a little. He started crying, and we put him back to sleep by patting him. This was also the case." "It gave us happiness, it even made us smile. What made me happiest was putting him to sleep again." he said.

Ergül stated that it was a priceless feeling for the mother to hug the baby and said, "They thanked us very much and prayed for us. We completed the operation successfully. It was a really difficult situation. It was known that there were not many systems and equipment that we could connect the baby to. We connected it to the system in line with our own knowledge and experience and took responsibility. As a result of this responsibility, we were happy and proud that we completed the operation successfully." he said.

Sakarya AFAD Search and Rescue unit chief Muhammet Şanlı explained that they had been working hard for days and saved many stranded people and said, "The operation in which the baby was rescued required serious coordination and planning. We planned and reached our citizens with our teams. They reached their homes safely." he said.

“THE MOST CRITICAL POINT OF THE OPERATION WAS THE EVACUATION OF THE BABY”

Sakarya AFAD search and rescue technician Alihan Yazıcı stated that the rescue operation went as planned, but they experienced a few setbacks.

Explaining that the main safety point they set up was the electric pole, and when the pole started to be undermined as the flood waters rose, they created a second main safety point and had to take the evacuation to a different location after the first 2 people, Yazıcı said, "We had to hurry, the flood waters were constantly rising. The most critical point of the operation was the evacuation of the baby. That's why we had to raise the main safety point up. Their lives were at stake. I think we overcame the difficulties we encountered as a result of our practical intelligence and the training we received. It was challenging, but it ended with good tiredness." he said.

Sakarya AFAD search and rescue technician Mert Çömlekçioğlu noted that when they left the center to reach the stranded people, they noticed that the roads were closed.

Stating that the closest point they could approach was opposite where the stranded people were, Çömlekçioğlu said, "After the meeting, we realized that one person had to swim across the river. This task was given to me. After ensuring my safety, I swam across. Then, we set up the line there and started the task." He said his words.

Stating that the flood water was flowing strongly, Çömlekçioğlu said, "We could also hear the hitting sounds of the stones in the stream. We crossed safely. The stones could have hit our citizens or staff. Thank God, such an accident did not occur. We passed our family and our baby safely to the other shore." he said.

Minister of Internal Affairs Mustafa Çiftçi shared a post about 8-month-old baby Zeynep, who was rescued by AFAD teams after being stranded due to flood in Sapanca district of Sakarya.

Çiftçi said on his social media account: "You sleep, Zeynep girl, we are here." In his post with the title, he stated that the 8-month-old baby Zeynep, who was stranded due to the flood, was rescued by the teams.

Minister Çiftçi said:

"There was such a beautiful moment that warmed our hearts in those difficult moments... Murat Ergül, our AFAD staff, gently hugged our baby Zeynep in his arms so that her sleep would not be disturbed. My daughter Zeynep, you may never remember what happened today. But when you grow up, know that they mobilized to protect you, even before you knew their name. Those hands that saved you did not even dare to interrupt your sleep. That's how precious you are, my beautiful daughter."

Emphasizing that kindness of heart is not lost even in the most difficult times, Çiftçi congratulated all personnel who served selflessly in disasters, especially AFAD personnel Murat Ergül.

The farmer wished that all children would be protected from disasters.