The landslide that occurred in Wayanad on July 30 caused massive destruction. Thousands of people are in relief camps, while hundreds have lost their lives. Meanwhile, rescue teams are continuously working. On Friday itself, four people came out alive from the debris after four full days. Based on old cases, it is believed that a person with normal health can survive for about 5 days even under a heavy pile of soil and stones. In many cases, survival can also be for two to three weeks.
This man from Haiti survived for a month
The devastating earthquake that struck Haiti on 12 January 2010 took thousands of lives, while millions of people became homeless. In the same earthquake, a man named Evans Monjicanek returned alive after 27 days from under the rubble. During this time, he kept drinking drain water seeping from somewhere in the ground, but could not find anything to eat. Many documentaries were also made on Evans who survived despite being buried under the rubble for almost a month. The young man believed that the memory of his family and the desire to see them kept him alive.
Seoul man survives by eating cardboard
A similar incident occurred in South Korea in 1955. On June 29, a five-storey department store in the main market of the capital Seoul suddenly collapsed. 500 people were killed in the accident, and more than 900 were injured. The rescue team quickly started evacuating people. However, the debris was in a very dangerous condition and would start collapsing with even a slight movement.
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The rescue team, working cautiously, rescued hundreds of people alive within 2 days. Even after this, the search in the rubble continued. The machines were getting indications that someone was alive inside. After 15 days, a young man could be rescued from inside the collapsed building. This 22-year-old young man, Choi Myung Suk, was buried between two layers of concrete.
Maintained movement in the body
After coming out, he told how he was able to survive inside the rubble for almost two weeks. According to Choi, when the building collapsed, he had come inside to do shopping. He fell unconscious after being hit by something forcefully and when he regained consciousness, it was pitch dark.
Quenching thirst with concrete
Choi had just enough space to turn from one side to another. He would lie on his back, sometimes on his stomach. In between, he would move his fingers and toes and blink his eyes to maintain movement. He did not get any food or water for the entire 15 days. When he felt thirsty, he would lick the concrete and when he felt hungry, he would gnaw on the cardboard lying nearby.
This woman was found alive after two weeks
In Dhaka, Bangladesh, a woman named Reshma, who was buried under the debris of a weak building, was rescued alive after 17 days. She was continuously mumbling in Bangla, ‘Save me’. These examples may be exceptions, but it is believed that any adult can survive without food and water for about a week. This is the reason why the United Nations recommends continuing rescue operations for 5 to 7 days in case of a natural disaster. This is the period in which the devastation caused by an earthquake or flood stabilizes.
What is most important?
Survival depends on the condition in which we are when an earthquake or landslide occurs. If there is air and water contact with the outside world, then the chances of survival increase. But if the person trapped inside is seriously injured, then there is a high possibility that he may not be able to survive even if there is air and water and even some food.
What happens inside the rubble
The level of carbon dioxide increases dangerously in a closed space. This generates so much heat that if someone is trapped in a completely closed space, even if he has food and water, if he is not rescued quickly, there is a fear of death. Often search teams keep checking the level of carbon dioxide inside the debris so that it can be decided how much attention should be given to which part.
How many days a person buried under the rubble will be able to survive also depends on what the rubble is made of. There is a higher chance of survival under a pile of mud and stones, while being buried under a pile of garbage can be extremely dangerous, which can even take the life of a resilient person.
The garbage heap is the most difficult
The increase or decrease in survival within the debris also depends on what the debris is made of. For example, if one is buried under garbage debris, the chances of survival are very low. The reason for this is not just being buried, but the release of toxic gases from the garbage. There are many types of things in garbage. It will also contain plastic, medicines, dangerous chemicals, and even food. All these together cause bacterial break-out, which produces toxic gases. This is a risk in itself.
Things like paint in a building under construction also reduce the oxygen in the air. This means that the number of survivors also decreases in a building under construction.
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)