In the study carried out in partnership with Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality and AFAD, the 3 cats in the Galeria Business Center and the site above it, which were heavily damaged and demolished in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, were rescued.
With the coordination of the Metropolitan Municipality, the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, the work started for the demolition of 35 buildings with heavy damage in the city center, Sur, Yenişehir and Bağlar districts, in the first place.
In this context, the demolition, which started in a controlled manner after the completion of the search and rescue works on the Galeria Business Center and the site above it, in the central Yenişehir district, was stopped when it was determined that there was a cat inside.
After the demolition work was stopped, the floor with the cat was detected with the drone. Later, the fire brigade and AFAD teams started working to save the cat.
The work was carried out with the ladder snorkel used in the 54-meter fire and rescue works of the fire department, but when it was insufficient, the military helicopter intervened.
A personnel who was lowered by rope from the military helicopter sent to the scene tried to reach the floor where the cat was located in the building above the business center. Due to the damage to the building, the personnel could not enter and the helicopter left the scene.
Afterwards, the Fire Brigade and AFAD teams carried out sensitive work and rescued 1 cat.
The cage was placed on the 4th and last floor of the site by means of a crane brought to the site by AFAD teams. When the cat did not enter the cage, AFAD teams got on the basket on the crane and caught the cat on the 4th floor and brought it down.
The cat, whose name was learned to be "Zena", was first treated by Diyarbakır Metropolitan Municipality Health Department Head Kasım Aydın.
As a result of the work that continued during the daytime, 1 more cat named "Jahran" was rescued and delivered to its owner.
Thus, 3 cats have been saved with the studies carried out so far. AFAD and fire crews continue to work in case there are other cats in the building.
Veysel Kızılay, Deputy Secretary General of the Metropolitan Municipality, who gave information about the works carried out, said:
“We took the cat from the building in a lifesaving operation that you all witnessed. Our work for cats continues with all our institutions and all the means of the state.”