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In earthquake rescues, noisy gear and digging, then silence

KIFI

By JUSTIN SPIKE
Associated Press

ADANA, Turkey (AP) — They lifted slabs of cement with enormous cranes and smashed rubble with jackhammers. Then, they stopped. Silence. Key to detecting the faintest noise, which could be a sign of a survivor buried beneath rubble from Monday’s quake in Turkey and Syria. Among the wreckage of a collapsed 14-story building in the Turkish city of Adana, the shriek of a whistle would pierce the noise every few minutes on Wednesday, and the cacophony of cranes and jackhammers would pause. Rescue workers hollered for quiet, listening for any hint of voices from the debris. Hundreds of spectators hushed, too. Regular moments of silence are essential to such operations, says David Alexander, professor of emergency planning and management at University College London.

Article Topic Follows: AP National

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