Drones aiding Philippine team in search for Turkey earthquake survivors

Drones and life detector devices are aiding the Philippine contingent to Turkey in finding lives under the rubble following a powerful earthquake last week.

The Filipinos are in the area of Adiyaman where several bodies have been found the last few days.

"Yung supposedly na babalikan namin today, yun na yung nakuha ngayon na dalawa," Dr. Ted Esguerra, a member of the team, said.

He said the drones are a big help especially for some areas that are hard to reach.

"Walang kasiguraduhan kapag pumasok kami sa loob, ang instruction nga, kung patay na, 'wag na ipasubo ang buhay," Esguerra said.

According to the representatives of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the life detector devices are still receiving signs of life the last few days, but when the team responsible for pulling out the victims come, some are found lifeless.

"I-scan niya 'yung area kung may possible victim, kung moving siya, makikita mo dun na may moving sign ng moving. pag wala siyang malay, breathing naman po ang made-detect niya, paglabas po doon sa mga victim, wala na po," Abraham Buna of the MMDA team said.

The Filipino rescuers said among the challenges they're battling in their mission is the cold temperature.  The bitter cold is also not favorable especially for the victims trapped in the collapsed buildings.

"During their first operation meron silang nakitang apat possible  live person base sa tinatag nila sa February 11, lima sa February12 may isa kahapon wala na," Assistant Secretary Rafaelito Alejandro IV, spokesman of the Office of Civil Defense said.

With the quake death toll counting by the thousands, every rescue becomes a miracle, the report said.—LDF, GMA Integrated News