Turkiye through-wall radar DAR saving lives in quake-hit area

24-year-old Ali Savi and a person are rescued from under rubble 85 hours after 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes hit multiple provinces of Turkiye including in Kahramanmaras, Turkiye [ Emin Sansar – Anadolu Agency ]

A radar system developed by the Turkish state-run Defence company, STM, is saving lives in the earthquake-ravaged areas of Turkiye, Anadolu News Agency reports.

The through-the-wall DAR radar system can locate people through the mounds of debris.

STM lead technician, Yusuf Hayirli, told Anadolu the DAR radar system designed for the defence industry was used out of its field for the first time in an earthquake zone.

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“We assist the teams in locating people based on breathing and hand-arm movements,” Hayirli said.

The teams pulled out more than 20 earthquake victims alive from collapsed buildings, thanks to the coordinates provided by the DAR radar system.

“We witnessed a 7-month-old baby pulled to safety after being trapped under the rubble. This happiness is indescribable,” Hayirli added.

Over 18,300 people were killed and 74,000 injured by two strong earthquakes that jolted southern Turkiye on Monday, according to the latest official figures.

The 7.7 and 7.6 magnitude earthquakes, centred in the Kahramanmaras province, were felt by 13 million people across 10 provinces, including Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa.

READ: Restaurant owner opens doors to homeless quake victims in southern Turkiye

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