A baby in Turkey who spent 128 hours trapped in the rubble since the devasting earthquake hit the country in February- has finally been reunited with her mother who was previously declared dead, according to Turkeys Ministry of Family and Social Services.
Three-and-a-half-month-old Vetin Begdas reunited with Yasemin Begdas on Saturday, 54 days after she was rescued from a damaged building in the province of Hatay. She had been named Gizem (Mystery) by the medical authorities who took care of her after she was rescued.
The country’s Family and Social Services Minister Derya Yanik helped the pair reunite after their relationship was proven through a DNA test.
“One of the most priceless tasks in the world is reuniting a mother with her child,” said Yanik. “Being a part of that happiness meant a lot to us as well.” According to Anadolu, the baby’s father and two brothers were killed in the earthquake, which killed more than 50,000 people.
In Turkey alone, more than 44,000 people died, the country’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) reported in late February. Additionally, more than 20 million people are still affected by the disaster.
