Rescuer returns from Turkiye quake devastation

GUIYANG — Clutching a bouquet of flowers, Jiang Zhaohua's heart raced with anticipation as she waited for her fiance Liu Zhengling at a railway station in Guiyang, capital of Southwest China's Guizhou province, earlier last week.

As Liu exited the station with 12 other members of the China Blue Sky Rescue Team returning from quake-hit Turkiye, Jiang rushed forward and gave her fiance a big hug.

Liu, 28, joined the civil relief squad in November 2018. He took up the role as captain of the squad's branch in Qianxi city in Guizhou in May 2020.

After devastating earthquakes jolted Turkiye and Syria on Feb 6, several Chinese rescue teams wasted no time in heading to the affected regions. Liu had initially planned to join his teammates in Guiyang on Feb 7 before heading for Turkiye. However, Jiang persuaded him not to go out of concern of his safety.

"I couldn't stop thinking about the disaster at home and watched the news about the quakes every day. The more I watched it, the sadder I felt," Liu recalls. When Liu brought up the plan again, Jiang agreed.

"I knew from the news how devastating the disaster was. As he was so eager to help, all I could do was to ask him to take good care of himself," Jiang says.

On Feb 10, Liu and six other teammates headed for Turkiye. After arriving in the disaster area, they were tasked with detecting signs of life and demolishing collapsed houses.

At 2:50 pm on Feb 14 local time, Liu and his teammates, together with members of other rescue teams, jointly extracted a survivor who had been trapped in a collapsed building for 180 hours. "It was a miracle," Liu says.

The operation in Turkiye, Liu's first in a foreign country, has been an unforgettable experience.

"When people in other countries encounter disasters or hazards, we should help them to the best of our abilities," says Liu, explaining his eagerness to help. "Our efforts will pay off even if only one life is saved."

While in Turkiye, Liu and other Chinese rescuers were often warmly greeted by locals on the streets. Some even expressed their appreciation in newly learned Chinese, which was heartwarming for the team.

"He is very enthusiastic and dedicated to public welfare, and I am proud of him," Jiang says.

Before the operation in Turkiye, Liu had taken part in 35 rescue missions. His first mission was to search for a missing 75-year-old man in the mountains back in December 2018.

After successfully finding and rescuing the old man, Liu realized the impact of his outdoor skills and his capacity to save other people. "That was when I made up my mind to make public welfare my career."

Xinhua