Ethiopian Journal

In Haiti, a teenage girl has been pulled from the wreckage of a house that was destroyed in the earthquake more than two weeks ago.

A passer-by heard Darlene Etienne’s voice in the rubble and raised the alarm.

A crowd of neighbours cheered as the youngster was brought out. After 15 days, it took just 90 minutes for the teams to free her.

French rescue worker David Bernadou said: “You can see the emotion there is out there on the front line. I’m hugely satisfied with my men and personally very pleased too. It’s been a great day. It’s a major miracle.”

Doctors say it is rare for anyone to survive for more than 72 hours without water. But Darlene was caught between a collapsed wall and a door, and rescuers believe she had access to some water from the bathroom in the house.

Military doctor Colonel Michel Orsell said: “She says she’s happy and she’s concerned for her loved ones. But unfortunately we can’t answer all of her questions. Most of all we are trying to calm her down and stabilise her. She has just lived through an absolutely insane ordeal, so she needs a progressive return to a more normal life. So she needs to be followed and protected.”

The 16 year old had a leg injury and was suffering from severe dehydration. Doctors made arrangements for her to be flown to a French hospital ship.

euronews